Update: State clears water at 2 MS Coast beaches, but 4 warnings remain 

The same bacteria that has endured for weeks at several Mississippi Coast beaches appeared in two new spots on Tuesday, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality said.

Routine water quality testing found bacteria at Pass Christian West Beach and Edgewater Beach in Biloxi. The state issued water contact advisories for the beaches this week and encouraged swimmers to avoid the water.

The bacteria is a common nuisance on shorelines across the country and not worrisome enough to close beaches. But scientists say it means there could be stormwater runoff in the water that might cause digestive problems or infections.

Four of the Mississippi Coast’s 21 beaches now have higher-than-normal levels of bacteria, according to the Department of Environmental Quality. Gulfport West Beach and Gulfport Harbor Beach are still under water contact advisories issued earlier this year. The state lifted advisories at Pass Christian East Beach and Long Beach on Wednesday.

It is not always clear where the bacteria, called Enterococcus, come from. But researchers say faulty septic tanks and sewers can leak through the stormwater system and drain into the Mississippi Sound. Wind can even stir up waves that unearth bacteria buried in sediment underwater. The advisories often increase in summer and are also common after rain.

The state also has a standing advisory against swimming after heavy rain because runoff from drains south of the railroad tracks inevitably washes pollutants into the water.

Here is the full list of advisories in 2025:

April 18: The state issued an advisory for Gulfport East Beach. That advisory lifted April 23.

April 17: The state issued an advisory for Pass Christian West Beach, Gulfport Harbor Beach and Gulfport Central Beach. The advisory for Gulfport Central Beach lifted April 23. The Pass Christian West Beach advisory lifted April 24.

March 20: The state issued advisories for Pass Christian East Beach and Gulfport West Beach. The state lifted the advisory for Pass Christian East Beach on May 7.

March 13: The state issued an advisory for Bay St. Louis Beach and Pass Christian Central Beach. A day later, it issued an advisory for Biloxi East Central Beach. Mississippi lifted the advisories at Bay St. Louis Beach and Biloxi East Central Beach on March 19. The advisory for Pass Christian Central Beach lifted April 23.

Feb. 13: Mississippi issued an advisory in Long Beach, Pass Christian Central Beach and Bay St. Louis Beach. The advisories in Pass Christian and Bay St. Louis lifted Feb. 26. The advisory in Long Beach lifted May 7.

Feb. 6: The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality issued a water contact advisory at Gulfport West Beach. The advisory lifted Feb. 12. The agency also issued an advisory at Waveland Beach, which lifted Feb. 26.

Jan. 17: The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality issued an advisory at Front Beach in Ocean Springs. The advisory ended Jan. 29.

This story was originally published May 6, 2025 at 5:55 PM.