Higher than acceptable bacteria count closes two beaches

    Beachwood Beach

    Beachwood Beach

    Two Jersey Shore river beaches are closed today due to poor water quality. 

    The closure impacts Beachwood Beach in Beachwood and West Beach in Pine Beach, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s njbeaches.org.

    The Toms River beaches were ranked among the 10 worst beaches for water pollution in New Jersey in 2014.

    According to the Ocean County Health Department, the standard for the acceptable level of enterococcus, a bacteria found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals that can cause urinary tract infections, bacteremia, bacterial endocarditis, diverticulitis, and meningitis, is 104 colonies per 100 ml of water.

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    Samples taken at both beaches exceeded the maximum allowable bacteria level. 

    A swimming advisory, which is not a beach closure, is in place for East Beach/Station Avenue in Pine Beach. 

    14 beaches at the Jersey Shore exceeded the maximum acceptable level yesterday, down from 19 on Tuesday, resulting in swimming advisories.  

    Some waterways are typically susceptible to higher bacteria levels after rainfall and associated storm runoff.

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