Unacceptable bacteria levels impacting 3 Long Beach Island bay beaches
The New Jersey Avenue bay beach in Long Beach Township. (Google Maps)
Two beaches on Long Beach Island closed and another is under a swimming advisory due to water samples exceeding a quality standard.
According to the state Department of Environmental Protection’s njbeaches.org, the closure is impacting the New Jersey and Stockon avenues bay beaches in Long Beach Township. A swimming advisory is in effect for the 16th Avenue bay beach in Surf City.
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.
All bacteria levels were above the maximum bacteria standard when tested on Monday. The Stockton Avenue beach measured a count of 540 colonies, while New Jersey Avenue reported 400 and 240 at 16th Avenue.
No other beaches at the Jersey Shore are closed or under an advisory.
Some waterways are typically susceptible to higher bacteria levels after rainfall and associated storm runoff.
The state tests water quality at 35 bay and 180 ocean locations and issues advisories one day following an unacceptable bacteria level. Beaches are closed if two consecutive samples collected at a bathing beach exceed the state standard and remain in effect until subsequent sampling indicates bacteria levels are again below the standard, according to the DEP.
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