Beachwood Beach Still Closed Due To High Bacteria Levels

BEACHWOOD, NJ The red flags will be flying at Beachwood Beach West today, after high bacteria levels were found again the latest round of testing by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The beach, which has been prone to high bacteria levels in the past, has to be retested until acceptable limits are found.

It's the only bathing beach in Ocean County closed to the public after the latest round of testing. Testing is done every week at roughly 180 ocean and 35 bay monitoring stations. Samples are analyzed for the presence of enterococci, a bacteria present in both animal and human waste that indicates possible water contamination.

The DEP considers water on a bathing beach over the acceptable standard if the number of colony forming units (CFU) is over 104 per 100 milliliters.

Also still closed after the latest round of testing is the 25th Street bay bathing beach in Barnegat Light.

Any beach closed due to high bacteria levels is tested again until acceptable levels are reached, according to the DEP. Beaches are closed when two consecutive samples collected at a bathing beach exceed the state standard.

To find out more about the state's Coastal Monitoring Program, click here.

Photo: Courtesy of Harvey Cedars Beach PatrolSubscribe