TRENTON, N.J. – Ten New Jersey beaches were placed under swimming advisories after water samples detected elevated Enterococci levels, including popular ocean, bay and river swimming areas along the Jersey Shore.
The advisories affected beaches in Monmouth County, Ocean County and Cape May County. Each location tested above New Jersey’s recreational water standard of 104 colonies of Enterococci bacteria per 100 milliliters of water.
- Three Atlantic Ocean beaches in Long Branch and Sea Girt were placed under swimming advisories.
- Four bay beaches and three river beaches also recorded elevated bacteria levels.
- Additional testing determines whether an advisory is lifted or swimming is prohibited.
Ten Jersey Shore Beaches Under Advisory
The ocean advisories include Imperial House and Elberon Beach Club in Long Branch, along with Baltimore Boulevard in Sea Girt. All three are in Monmouth County.
Four bay beaches were also affected. They include Highlands Rec Center on Sandy Hook Bay in Atlantic Highlands and 5th Avenue Bayfront on Barnegat Bay in Seaside Park.
In Cape May County, Beesley’s Point Beach in Upper Township and 57th Street in Avalon were also placed under advisories.
Three river beaches completed the list. L Street Beach on the Shark River in Belmar was affected, along with Maxson Avenue and River Avenue on the Manasquan River in Point Pleasant.
A swimming advisory is not the same as a beach closure. The advisory alerts swimmers to elevated bacteria detected during testing while officials collect another water sample.
What Happens When Bacteria Levels Are Too High
New Jersey monitors coastal recreational waters for Enterococci, a type of bacteria associated with fecal contamination. Elevated levels are used as an indicator that water conditions may pose an increased health risk to swimmers.
The state’s threshold is 104 colonies per 100 milliliters of water. When a beach exceeds that level, officials issue a swimming advisory and conduct additional testing.
If the follow-up sample remains above the state standard, swimming can be prohibited until testing shows bacteria levels have returned to an acceptable range.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection works with state and local health agencies through the Cooperative Coastal Monitoring Program to routinely test recreational waters during the summer beach season.
“Typically, advisories do not lead to beach closings,” the NJDEP said.
Check Conditions Before Going in the Water
Beachgoers should check the state’s NJBeaches water-quality website before heading to the shore because advisory conditions can change quickly after additional samples are analyzed.
A beach under an advisory can return to normal once testing shows bacteria levels have fallen below the state standard. Conversely, continued elevated results can lead to a swimming closure.
That makes current testing particularly important for visitors heading to beaches along the Jersey Shore, where water conditions can vary from one monitored location to another.
Ten beaches exceeded New Jersey’s bacteria standard.
The advisories covered three ocean beaches, four bay beaches and three river beaches across Monmouth, Ocean and Cape May counties.
A swimming advisory does not automatically close a beach.
The state conducts additional testing after an elevated sample, with continued high bacteria levels potentially resulting in a swimming prohibition.
Beach conditions can change after retesting.
Visitors should check the state’s NJBeaches system for the latest advisory and closure information before entering the water.
Sources: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, NJBeaches Cooperative Coastal Monitoring Program, New Jersey Department of Health
