Source: NJ.com
The state Department of Environmental Protection placed 13 New Jersey beaches under swimming advisories Tuesday afternoon after water samples taken at them showed high levels of fecal bacteria.
The beaches placed under swimming advisories were:
• 1st Avenue beach is Asbury Park (Ocean)
• Village Beach Club beach in Loch Arbour (Ocean)
• South Bath Avenue beach in Long Branch (Ocean)
• North Bath Avenue beach in Long Branch (Ocean)
• 25th Street beach in Barnegat Light (Bay)
• Beachwood Beach West in Beachwood (River)
• Reese Avenue beach in Lavallette (Bay)
• New Jersey Avenue in Long Beach Township (Bay)
• East Beach Station Avenue beach in Pine Beach (River)
• Maxson Avenue beach in Point Pleasant (River)
• River Avenue beach in Point Pleasant (River)
• Hancock Avenue beach in Seaside Heights (Bay)
• 5th Avenue beach in Seaside Park (Bay)
Any time a sample, in this case taken Monday Aug. 23 2021, has over 104 colony forming units (cfu) of enterococci, the beach is placed under a swimming advisory and the water is tested again the next day. Enterococci is a type of bacteria that is an indicator of possible contamination within bathing water that can include human or animal waste.
The DEP said it retested the water at the beaches Tuesday and that the results would be released on this afternoon. If the second samples remain higher than 104 cfu, the beaches will be closed to swimming and remain that way until the sample falls under the limit.
The high levels of bacteria are usually caused by stormwater runoff from rain, which the Jersey Shore saw an abundance of due to Hurricane Henri on Sunday and Monday.
The DEP says swimming in or making contact with polluted water can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, respiratory symptoms like sore throat, cough, runny nose, and sneezing, eye and ear symptoms including irritation, earache, and itchiness, dermatological symptoms like skin rash and itching, and flu-like symptoms such as fever and chills.