Swim Advisories In Effect For Parts Of Miami Beach And Miami-Dade

MIAMI BEACH, FL — A no swim advisory is in effect for two areas of Miami Beach and other parts of Miami-Dade County.

Miami Beach officials issued an advisory after a contractor struck the city's sewer main at Fifth Street and Michigan Avenue last week.

Meanwhile, the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County had earlier issued swimming advisories for two other Miami-area beaches after water samples failed to meet the recreational water quality standard.

Miami Beach officials recommend that people not swim from First Street through Fifth Street and for the area of Biscayne Bay from South Pointe Drive to 14 Street. Miami-Dade health officials also recommend that people not swim at Crandon South Beach in Key Biscayne and Haulover Beach South near Sunny Isles.

"High levels of bacteria were detected in all 10 bay sampling locations and on the beach in the vicinity of First Street and Fifth Street," Miami Beach officials said with respect to the affected beach areas in that city.

This construction mishap on Miami Beach caused the release of wastewater onto the streets and into Biscayne Bay.

City officials said three contractors were tasked with cleaning the stormwater system, to prevent any further wastewater from entering the bay.

"Samples will continue to be collected daily on the bay and on the beach until they demonstrate there is no cause for concern," Miami Beach officials said. "Upon satisfactory results, the swimming advisory will be lifted."

The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County has been sampling marine beach water quality at 16 sites weekly since August 2002, through the Florida Healthy Beaches Program. The sampling sites are selected based on the frequency and intensity of recreational water use and the proximity to pollution sources.

Water samples are analyzed for enteric bacteria enterococci that normally inhabit the intestinal track of humans and animals. Exposure may cause human disease, infections, or illness. The prevalence of enteric bacteria is an indicator of fecal pollution, which may come from storm water run-off, wildlife, pets and human sewage, according to health officials.