Barnegat Light Beach Closed Due To High Bacteria Counts

BARNEGAT LIGHT, NJ — A bayside beach in Barnegat Light closed Wednesday after high levels of fecal bacteria were found in water tests, state officials said.

The 25th Street Bay Front showed bacteria levels exceeding the maximum allowable level of Enterococci, a bacteria that lives in the intestinal tract of animals and humans.

Samples of Enterococci bacteria cannot exceed 104 colonies per 100 milliliters, according to state regulations.

In water samples collected Monday, the state Department of Environmental Protection found 550 colonies per 100 milliliters — more than five times the state limit.

The follow-up samples taken Tuesday showed 600 colonies per milliliter, the DEP said.

Enterococci are typically not considered harmful to humans, but their presence in the environment may indicate that other disease-causing agents such as viruses, bacteria and protozoa may also be present, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

A higher presence of Enterococci becomes more likely after heavy rainfall, which can flush bacteria from bird, dog, or other animal waste into rivers and streams.

The 25th Street Bay Front was closed two years ago in July 2019 after officials found bacterial levels more than tripled the DEP's standard.

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