8 Miami Beaches Under Swimming Advisories

MIAMI, FL — After lifting a swimming advisory at one beach this week, the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County issued new advisories for seven more beaches in the Miami area on Wednesday, bringing to eight the number of Miami-Dade beaches that are under swimming advisories.

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The new advisories cover:

• Golden Beach
• Sunny Isles
• Surfside
• North Shore
• 53 Street in Miami Beach
• Haulover South
• Crandon North

A swimming advisory was already in place for Crandon South. That advisory remained in effect, according to health officials.

"Samples of beach water collected at these locations did not meet the recreational water quality standard for enterococci," according to health officials. "By state regulation, the Florida Department of Health in Miami Dade County is required to issue an advisory to inform the public in a specific area when this standard is not met."

Health officials said that the advisories were issued after two consecutive water samples exceeded the Federal and state recommended standard for enterococci, which is greater than 70 colony forming units of enterococci per 100 ml in a single sample.

Reacting to the advisories, Miami Beach officials said there was no indication what caused the readings.

"There is no cause as to why these samples are high, but many possibilities exist such as changes in temperature, water currents, weather patterns, rainfall, etc.," Miami Beach officials said. "The Florida Department of Health has also issued swimming advisories at other beaches in Miami-Dade County which suggests that the conditions are not site specific."

For more information, visit the Florida Healthy Beaches Program website and Select "Beach Water Quality" from the Environmental Health topics list.

Photo by Paul Scicchitano