MDEQ Issues Two Water Contact Advisories
Three Advisories and One Closure Still in Effect
(JACKSON, Miss.) — The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), through its Beach Monitoring Program, issued water contact advisories Thursday for two sampling stations. These segments of beach are not closed; however, there may be an increased risk of illness associated with swimming in this area.
MDEQ is working closely with local officials to advise residents that the water in the following locations may have high bacteria levels:
►Station 2 – Hancock County — Buccaneer State Park Beach – 100 yards from the sign to State Park Road.
►Station 5 – Harrison County — Pass Christian West Beach – from Fort Henry to Elliott Avenue.
The following stations are still under an advisory:
►Station 10 – Gulfport Central Beach – from Alfonso Drive east to Arkansas Avenue.
►Station 10B – East Courthouse Road Beach – from Courthouse Road east to Tegarden Road.
►Station 12B – Biloxi East Central Beach – from St. Peter Street east to Dukate Street.
A beach closure was issued May 7 for the following location:
►Station 12A – Biloxi West Central Beach – from Travia Avenue east to Iberville Drive.
When water samples show that levels are safe for human contact, the advisories and closure will be lifted. The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, which performs water sampling of the Mississippi Gulf Coast beaches for MDEQ, notifies the agency when an area has returned to acceptable levels.
Swimmers are reminded that the Beach Task Force has a standing recommendation that swimming not occur during or within 24 hours of a significant rainfall event.More information on the Mississippi Beach Monitoring Program:
http://www.usm.edu/gcrl/msbeach/index.cgi.
To receive beach advisories directly, send an email to rwilbur@deq.state.ms.us for inclusion in a public group email list, text “MDEQbeach” to 95577, or follow MDEQ on Twitter: @MDEQ.
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