Shelter Cove Beach in Toms River Under Swim Advisory Again: Health Department

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A number of beaches in and near Toms River are under swimming advisories Tuesday after water samples at those beaches tested high for bacteria, according to the Ocean County Health Department.

Beaches where the water sample exceeded 104 colonies per 100 milliliters of water are under swimming advisories and were being retested Tuesday. The results of those tests will be released Wednesday and if needed, beaches that still exceed the standard will be closed, the health department said.

Heavy rainfall in the last few weeks has led to several swimming advisories being posted.

Two bodies of water are completely closed to swimming: the lake at Ocean County Park in Lakewood, and Harry Wright Lake in Manchester. The Ocean County Park lake had fecal coliform levels that ranged from 6,000 cfl/100 ml in the middle to 1,037 at one end. Harry Wright Lake, meanwhile, had fecal coliform levels ranging from 2,400 to 3,000 in the high beach and from 2,633 to 2,900 in the low beach, the health department said. The maximum acceptable level for fecal coliform is 200 colonies per 100ml, the health department said.

The following beaches are under a swimming advisory, meaning swimmers should stay out of the water because of a risk of exposure to illness as a result of bacteria levels.

Lavallette, Brooklyn Avenue bay beach. Samples showed 200 cfl of Enterococcus.

Pine Beach, Avon Road river beach. Samples showed 740 cfl of Enterococcus.

Beachwood, Beachwood Beach river beach. Samples showed 700 cfl of Enterococcus.

Toms River, Shelter Cove bay beach. Samples showed 380 cfl of Enterococcus.

Seaside Heights, Hancock Avenue bay beach. Samples showed 120 cfl of Enterococcus.

Brick, Windward Beach river beach. Samples showed 160 cfl of Enterococcus.

Island Heights, Summit Avenue bay beach. Samples showed 320 cfl of Enterococcus.

The Environmental Protection Agency says polluted runoff can expose swimmers to harmful microorganisms called pathogens. Storms that bring a signficant amount of rain — and rainwater runoff — can wash pollutants and pathogens from animal waste into the water that is carried to local beaches.

Both Ocean County Park and Harry Wright Lake see significant numbers of Canada geese, whose feces contribute to the bacteria problems in those lakes.

Beach ball, by Susan Adams, via Flickr under Creative Commons license