(JACKSON, Miss.) – The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), through its Beach Monitoring Program, is notifying the public Monday that there are eleven water contact advisories in effect across the Mississippi Gulf Coast. These segments of beach are not closed; however, there may be an increased risk of illness associated with swimming in these areas. When water samples show that levels are safe for human contact, the advisories will be lifted.

An advisory is issued when bacteria levels exceed water quality criteria and therefore poses an increased risk to human health. Under the Mississippi Beach Monitoring Program, water is tested for the presence of Enterococcus bacteria, which is an indicator for bacteria pollution. When an advisory is issued, water contact should be avoided.

MDEQ suspended its public beach water quality monitoring notifications from April 3 to April 20 due to an executive order from Governor Tate Reeves closing the beaches during that period. The agency continued to test at all beach monitoring stations to support data collection needs for state water quality assessment. That testing resulted in the current list of eleven advisories.

MDEQ encourages the public to contact local authorities to determine the status of beach openings as outlined in Governor Reeves’ Executive Order 1473. The order also requires that beach visitors maintain social distancing. Social distancing information has been provided by the Mississippi State Department of Health. Find it here.

Advisories are in effect for:

  • Station 1 — Lakeshore Beach (Bay St. Louis) — the extent is from the Silver Slipper Casino east to Pointset Ave.
  • Station 4 — Bay St. Louis Beach — the extent is from the Box Culvert east to Ballantine St.
  • Station 5 — Pass Christian West Beach — the extent is from Fort Henry Ave. east to Elliot St.
  • Station 6 — Pass Christian Central Beach — the extent is from Henderson Ave. east to Hiern Ave.
  • Station 7 — Pass Christian East Beach — the extent is from Espy Ave. east to Hayden Ave.
  • Station 07A — Long Beach — the extent is from Oak Gardens east to Girard Ave.
  • Station 8 — Gulfport West Beach — the extent is from Marie Ave. east to Camp Ave.
  • Station 9 — Gulfport Harbor Beach — the extent is from 20th Ave. east to Thornton Ave.
  • Station 10 — Gulfport Central Beach — the extent is from Alfonso Dr. east to Arkansas Ave.
  • Station 12A — Biloxi West Central Beach — the extent is from Travia St. east to Iberville Dr.
  • Station 15 — Shearwater Beach (Ocean Springs) — the extent is from Weeks Bayou east to Ashley Place.

More information about the Mississippi Beach Monitoring Program and the location of beach sampling stations is available at: http://opcgis.deq.state.ms.us/beaches. To receive beach advisories directly, send an email to Robbie Wilbur for inclusion in a public group email list, text “MDEQbeach” to 95577, and follow MDEQ on Twitter: @MDEQ.

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