Swimming Advisory Issued For East Community Beach In Norfolk

Press release from the City of Norfolk:

Posted on: May 25, 2021

NORFOLK, VA – The Norfolk Department of Public Health has issued a Swimming Advisory for East Community Beach in Ocean View. Water testing conducted yesterday revealed enterococci bacteria levels at this site exceeding State Water Quality Standards. Signs have been posted to alert the public of the advisory. Health officials will continue testing beach water and will remove posted signs and notify the public when the bacteria levels decrease to meet state standards.

The Environmental Health Division of the Norfolk Department of Public Health samples Ocean View beach water on a weekly basis, during the swimming season, from late-May through the end of September. Enterococci bacteria are a group of indicator organisms used to determine the extent of fecal contamination in recreational waters.

While enterococci bacteria do not generally cause illness, scientific studies indicate that their presence is closely correlated to the presence of other disease-causing organisms. People swimming or playing in waters with bacteria levels higher than the state standards have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal illness.

For further information, call the Environmental Health Division, Norfolk Department of Public Health, at 757-683-2712. For information about the Virginia Department of Health’s Beach Monitoring Program, current swimming advisory maps, and helpful tips about recreational water safety, please visit: http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-epidemiology/beach-monitoring/

This press release was produced by the City of Norfolk. The views expressed here are the author’s own.