You might want to stay out of the water at these 7 Mississippi Coast beaches
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has issued three new water-contact advisories after tests found high bacteria levels more Coast beaches.
The bacteria are common across the Mississippi Coast and returned this week to the following beaches:
- Lakeshore Beach, from Silver Slipper Casino eastward to Pointset Avenue.
- Long Beach Beach, from Oak Gardens eastward to Girard.
- Gulfport West Beach, from Marie Ave eastward to Camp Avenue
The new advisories are in addition to the following beaches where advisories remain in effect:
- Bay St. Louis Beach, from the box culvert east to Ballantine Street
- Pass Christian West Beach, from Fort Henry Avenue east to Elliot Street
- Pass Christian Central Beach, from Henderson Avenue east to Hiern Avenue
- Pass Christian East Beach, from Espy Avenue east to Hayden Avenue
One advisory was removed:
- Waveland Beach, from Oak Bouvevard east to Favre Street
The beaches are still open. But the Department of Environmental Quality issues advisories as a precaution to warn beachgoers that swimming could increase the risk of illness. The advisories are often triggered by faulty septic tanks or sewers that leak through the stormwater system and into the Mississippi Sound.
The Department of Environmental Quality tests every beach weekly for the bacteria, which are called Enterococcus and can indicate the possibility that sewage is contaminating the water.
The agency’s tests do not track a separate and rare bacterium called Vibrio, which has spiked in 2025 across the region. Vibrio naturally lives in coastal waters and can cause serious infections. Enterococcus is not usually harmful to humans, but scientists use it to indicate possible pollution.
Scientists at the Department of Environmental Quality test beaches under advisory every day until Enterococcus bacteria levels return to normal. The agency also has a standing advisory against swimming after heavy rain because runoff from drains south of the railroad tracks inevitably washes pollutants into the waves.
Tests this week showed bacteria levels are normal at all other beaches across the Mississippi Coast.
This story was originally published March 13, 2026 at 10:47 AM with the headline "You might want to stay out of the water at these 7 Mississippi Coast beaches."