UPDATE: The advisory has been lifted. Lab results showed bacteria levels in the water meet the State Water Quality Standards. Signs have been removed that previously alerted the public of the advisory.
Virginia Beach, Va. – The Virginia Beach Department of Public Health has issued a swimming and wading advisory for two locations on the Chesapeake Bay: between Ocean View Avenue (5000 block) and Mortons Road, and between Rockbridge Road and Starfish Road.
Recent testing conducted by the Health Department showed that bacteria levels in the water exceeded the State Water Quality Standards.
The advisory does not affect the Virginia Beach Oceanfront or resort area.
Recreational waters are monitored for bacteria using indicator organisms such as Enterococcus, the indicator of choice in estuarine and marine waters.
Signs will be posted on the beach at these locations to alert the public of the swimming and wading advisory.
Virginia Beach has conducted these tests since the mid-1970s. Health officials will continue testing the site until the water quality meets the state water quality standards. When the sampling test results meet the standards, the signs will be removed.
The results of this and all other sampling are located on the Virginia Department of Health Web site at http://www.vdh.state.va.us/epidemiology/DEE/BeachMonitoring.
