HAMPTON, Va. - The Hampton Health District has issued a swimming advisory for Buckroe Mid Beach due to elevated bacteria levels from samples taken June 23.
Hampton Health District is recommending that beach goers avoid swimming in the affected area.
The recreational waters are monitored for bacteria routinely during the summer swimming season, using indicator organisms such as enterococci, the indicator of choice for estuarine and marine waters.
Officials say that signs are posted at the beaches alerting the public of the advisory. The signs should read: “Warning swimmers – bacteria levels do not meet state water quality standards, swimming not advised until further notice”.
Swimming advisory issued 6/24/20 for Buckroe Mid Beach @cityofhampton - Bacteria results exceed safe swimming levels. Follow-up sampling will be collected this week. For latest results visit: https://t.co/O8Ng36AIcK
— VDH Beach Monitoring (@VDHBeach) June 24, 2020
Health officials collected additional samples on Wednesday, June 24, and results should be available on Thurday. Health officials will remove the signs and notify the public when the bacteria levels decrease to levels that meet the state water quality standards.
Enterococci are a group of organisms used to determine the extent of fecal contamination of recreational waters. While these organisms do not cause illness, scientific studies indicate that their presence is closely correlated to the presence of other disease-causing organisms. People swimming or playing in waters with bacteria levels higher than the standard have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal illness.
Officials also say that an advisory of this nature is only temporary and will be withdrawn once the bacteria levels have returned to a safe level.
