Beach closures: Fécale material could spoil your last splash in summer

The beaches of Crystal River, in Florida, in Ogunquit, in Maine, have warned water quality opinions this week due to high levels of bacteria associated with fecal waste. The advice generally discourages lovers of beaches to go into water because bacteria can cause gastrointestinal diseases, rashes and nausea.

There have been closures this week in some of the most popular beach destinations in the country, including Keyes Memorial Beach in the village of Cape Cod de Hyannis in Barstable, Massachusetts; Benjamin beach on Long Island in Bay Shore, New York; And part of the coast of the imperial beach near San Diego. Even on the virgin white sandy beaches of Hawaii, the Hawaii State Health Department warns against a large number of bacteria in Kahaluu beach park on the big island.

It is a long -standing and common problem. Almost two -thirds of the beaches tested nationally in 2024 experienced at least one day during which fecal contamination indicators reached potentially dangerous levels, said the environmental conservation group America in a report published this summer.

The group examined the beaches on the coasts and the large lakes and found that 84% of the beaches of the Gulf coast exceeded the standard at least once. The number was 79% for the beaches of the west coast, 54% for the beaches of the East Coast and 71% for the beaches of the Great Lakes.

The report also indicates that more than 450 beaches were potentially dangerous to swim at least 25% of the days tested. A key reason is the water and obsolete sewer systems that allows contamination of wastewater to reach the places where people swim, said John Rumper, director of central water and main lawyer at Environment America.

“These beaches are a treasure for the families of New England and across the country. They are a shared resource,” said Rumper, which is based in Boston. “We have to make the investment to ensure that literally our own human waste cannot be found in the places where we swim.”

Other factors have also played a role in contamination of beaches, especially increasingly serious times that overwhelm the sewer systems and suburban spread that takes place on natural areas and reduces the capacity of the ecosystem to absorb rainwater, said Rumper.

But many people plan to jump into the ocean anyway. Despite a two -day warning against high feccal indicator in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Beachgoer Yaromyr Orshkevych was not concerned.

“I really don’t expect to be in danger of fecal contamination,” said Oryshkevych, a retired dentist. He said that he did not think that Rehoboth was close enough to notable pollution to be concerned, and he expected that natural ocean currents take charge of any problem of contamination in the region.

Dana West, a federal worker visiting Rehoboth Beach, recalled an example earlier this year when a dozen members of his holiday party have experienced gastrointestinal problems. Symptoms occurred after an apnea diving excursion, an activity that increases the probability of tapping sea water, off the coast of Isla Mujeres, Mexico.

It was an unpleasant experience, but he does not expect a rehearsal this weekend in Delaware.

“But generally, I have no concerns about the level of fecal and bacterial matter,” said West admiring the shore of Rehoboth. “I guess local authorities will tell us if there are higher levels than normal.”

Despite the confidence of West, certain beaches in the Rehoboth district, including the Rehoboth bay nearby and the Bay of Dewey Beach, were indeed under the opinions of the water this week. These opinions are not always published on public panels.

Environment America assessed the safety of the beach in its report by examining whether the fecal bacteria levels exceeded the standards established by the American environmental protection agency which triggers an alert to avoid water. Fécale bacteria at these levels can cause a disease in 32 swimmers out of 1,000.

In North Carolina, five beaches were under advice at the end of August due to high levels of fecal bacteria. The beaches are open, but swimmers are informed that going to the water could be risky, said Erin Bryan-Millush, supervisor of the environmental program with the Department of Environmental Quality of North Carolina.

Hurricane Erin caused in -depth erosion and a wave of storms in certain coastal areas, according to the Ministry of Environmental Quality. Events of heavy rains this summer also exacerbated the problem of contamination in certain regions, said Bryan-Millush.

“These storm drains wear everything,” said Bryan-Millush. “It could be really bad for someone who is immune.”