All New Jersey Beaches Open Friday; Swimming Advisories Lifted

NEW JERSEY — As we head into a hot August weekend, all New Jersey beaches have reopened as of Friday.

This comes after four beaches along the Jersey Shore were placed under swimming "advisories" by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and one was closed outright — due to high levels of fecal bacteria.

The four beaches placed under swimming advisories were:

• L Street beach in Belmar
• South Bath Avenue beach in Long Branch
• Brooklyn Avenue beach in Lavallette
• Hancock Avenue beach in Seaside Heights

A fifth beach, Stockton Avenue beach in Long Beach Township, was the only one to be closed. The state DEP closed it Wednesday afternoon after it showed elevated levels of fecal bacteria two days in a row.

However, as of Friday morning, all the beaches had reopened. You can read the DEP's beach status report here: NJ Beaches.

The fecal bacteria is enterococci, bacteria that live in the intestinal tracts of warm-blooded animals, including humans.

Higher-than-normal levels of enterococci can often be found in New Jersey beach and bay waters after heavy rain, when storm and sewer drains can overflow.

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

The maximum allowable level of enterococi is ocean water is 104 colonies. On Monday, after rain last weekend, the state tested beach water and found 600 colonies per 100 milliliters on those beaches it placed under advisory. Those levels had dropped to 230 and 240 colonies by Tuesday's testing.

The South Bath Avenue beach dropped from 170 colonies to less than 10. At the L Street Beach, the level fell from 290 colonies to less than 10. In Lavallette, Tuesday's sample showed 20 colonies, down from 120 colonies.

Enterococci are typically not considered harmful to humans, but their presence may indicate other disease-causing agents such as viruses, bacteria, and protozoa may also be present.

The New Jersey Sierra Club blamed climate change.

“This has been one of the rainiest and warmest summers on record. These extreme weather events are happening way too often and with more frequency thanks to climate change," said Taylor McFarland, acting director of the New Jersey Sierra Club New Jersey. "As our former director Jeff used to say, ‘when it rains, it pours sewage and runoff.’ We should be fixing our combined sewer overflow systems and our water systems that are outdated and breaking."

Prior Patch report: 1 NJ Beach Closed To Swimming For Bacteria, 4 Advisories Lifted (Aug. 11)

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