Swimming Advisory Lifted For Miami-Dade Beach

MIAMI, FL — The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County has lifted a swimming advisory for a Miami-area beach.

Officials had recommended that people not swim at Dog Beach along Richenbacker Causeway pending further testing.

"Based on satisfactory microbial water quality test results, the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County is lifting the swimming advisory for Dog Beach on Rickenbacker Causeway," officials said Wednesday in a release dated Tuesday.

The advisory was issued after an earlier beach water sample collected at the location failed to meet the recreational water quality standard for enterococci, according to health officials. "By state regulation, the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County is required to issue an advisory to inform the public in a specific area when this standard is not met."

Health officials said the water sample exceeded the federal and state recommended standard for enterococci, which is greater than 70 colony forming units of enterococci per 100 ml in a single sample.

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, health officials said.

"The purpose of the Florida Healthy Beaches program is to determine whether Florida has significant beach water quality concerns," officials added.

For more information, visit the Florida Healthy Beaches Program website and Select “Beach Water Quality” from environmental health topics.