HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — With swimming season in full effect, bacteria levels are monitored along the Virginia coast and the beaches in Hampton are among the many tested.
While the main part of Buckroe Beach passed the Health Department checks this week, the southern area near the pier showed results that the bacteria levels in the water are higher than recommended.
That area has been closed to swimmers while the fishing pier undergoes repairs from damages in November when a barge broke loose and hit the pier. The construction from the repairs causes sand disturbance creating higher bacteria levels.
As a result, the Health Department has issued an advisory for that area which remains in effect until the construction finishes in August. That portion of the beach will not be retested until after the repairs are complete.
When an advisory is issued, the VDH said that it does not close the water to swimmers, it just warns them they are at an elevated risk. The risk is higher for children, those who have open wounds, and those with weakened immune systems.
All of Hampton’s other beaches — the rest of Buckroe Beach, Fort Monroe’s Outlook Beach, and Salt Ponds Beach — had acceptable levels of bacteria in this week’s testing.
The Environmental Protection Agency sets the standard based on when unacceptable levels are to the point where people show a greater incidence of illness.
Once tested, the water samples are sent to labs to detect for Enterococci in saltwater. While these organisms themselves do not cause illness, their presence is an indicator that there is fecal contamination and other harder-to-detect bacteria present.
To read more about the water testing in Hampton, visit the website. More information on Virginia Department of Health beach monitoring can be found online.