Don’t go in the water at these five Mississippi Coast beaches, officials warn
Four more Mississippi Coast beaches are under water contact advisories after testing showed higher than normal levels of bacteria, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality said Thursday.
The department issued warnings for four beaches:
- Bay St. Louis Beach from the Box Culvert east to Ballantine Street
- Pass Christian West Beach from Fort Henry Avenue east to Elliot Street
- Long Beach from Oak Garden Avenue east to Girard Avenue
- Gulfport West Beach from Marie Avenue east to Camp Avenue
An advisory from early in the month remains in place for Pass Christian Central Beach from Henderson Avenue east to Hiern Avenue.
This week’s advisories followed several issued at the beginning of March. The latest advisories are the second this month for Bay St. Louis Beach and Long Beach.
The beaches are still open but officials say there is a greater risk of illness associated with swimming in the areas.
Mississippi’s Beach Monitoring Program tests water for Enterococcus, bacteria that live in the intestinal tracts of some animals. Enterococcus is not harmful to humans but may indicate that bacteria from wastewater treatment plants, septic systems, recreational boat sewage or other fecal contaminants are in the water.
The MDEQ’s Beach Task Force warns against swimming within 24 hours of heavy rainfall.
The MDEQ’s Beach Monitoring Program tests water at beaches in Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties. The program issues advisories when tests find unsafe levels of bacteria.
The MDEQ said the warnings would lift as soon as water samples show bacteria levels are safe.