What does it mean when a beach is closed due to water quality?
It’s not unusual for beaches to be put under advisory or closed for a number of reasons during the summer months.
Sometimes, however, this occurs due to water quality issues which make the water unsafe for swimmers.
Though a closed beach can put a real damper on your vacation, it’s often done as a result of unsafe levels of enterococci and E. coli, otherwise known as fecal bacteria.
Clear skies are seen in Manhattan Beach, California. (AP Photo/John Antczak)
In mid-June, one-third of New Jersey’s beaches were at risk of closing due to unsafe levels of human and animal fecal bacteria in the water.
In the whole of 2017, the state faced 28 closures due to elevated levels.
This bacteria can fluctuate in the ocean due to sewage discharges, failing septic systems, storm water runoff and pet and agricultural waste among other factors.
Environmental Protection Agency website.
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