16 NJ Beaches Under Swim Advisories For High Fecal Bacteria Levels

NEW JERSEY - 12 Garden State oceanfront beaches are under swimming advisories Wednesday due to high levels of fecal bacteria found in water samples, officials said.

Three bay beaches and one riverfront beach are also under swimming advisories, according to NJBeaches.org.

The affected beaches are:

• Michigan Beach, Atlantic City (Ocean)
• Arkansas Beach, Atlantic City (Ocean)
• Connecticut Avenue Beach, Atlantic City (Ocean)
• Kentucky Beach, Atlantic City (Ocean)
• South Carolina Beach, Atlantic City (Ocean)
• Rev. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd. Beach, Atlantic City (Ocean)
• New York Avenue Beach, Atlantic City (Ocean)
• Roosevelt Avenue Beach, Deal (Ocean)
• Highlands Rec Center, Highlands (Bay)
• Miller Beach, Highlands (Bay)
• Elberon Beach Club, Long Branch City (Ocean)
• Ocean Beach Club, Long Branch City (Ocean)
• Broadway Beach, Neptune Township (Ocean)
• New York Boulevard Beach, Sea Girt (Ocean)
• River Beach, Point Pleasant Borough (River)
• Hancock Beach, Seaside Heights (Bay)

New Jersey beaches are placed under a swimming advisory when the concentration of bacteria exceeds 104 colonies of Enterococci bacteria per 100 milliliters of sample, according to NJBeaches.org.

Any initial sample that exceeds the water quality standard results in swim advisories in the area. Two consecutive subpar samples warrant beach closings. There were no New Jersey beach closures reported as of Wednesday morning.

The swimming advisory will remain in effect until the water quality results are again within standards.

Last week, six Atlantic County beaches - three in Longport, two in Margate and one in Ventnor City - were issued swim advisories due to high levels of fecal bacteria found in water samples. All six advisories have since expired.

Sources of enterococci in water include stormwater runoff, sewage discharged or dumped from recreational boats, and domestic animal and wildlife waste.

Swimming in polluted water can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, runny nose, earaches skin rashes and flu-like symptoms.