New Jersey beach closed for season after 'high levels of bacteria' discovered

A New Jersey town known for its beach has had to close for the remainder of the season as a series of tests uncovered bacteria unsafe for humans to swim in.

The town of Beachwood, New Jersey , located along Toms River in the Jersey Shore region, is a popular destination for locals and tourists. It's about 70 miles south of New York City and 50 miles south of Philadelphia, attracting people from all over the area.

"For the safety, health and welfare of the residents and others, the Mayor and Council have decided to close swimming at the beach for the remainder of the 2024 season due to the Ocean County Health Department reporting of excessive bacteria levels found in the water," officials announced on the borough's website .

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"You may still sit and take in the lovely view of the scenery, but no one will be permitted to swim," continues the notice. The source of the bacteria has not been identified yet, but it was made up of fecal matter brought in by the rains and the river. Runoff from urban regions, suburban development, and agricultural lands in a wide area of the Garden State collects in the river and ends up onshore.

The site does not mention when they expect bacteria levels to go down and the beach to reopen to swimmers. Officials in New Jersey, known for its beaches, say the rest of the state's beaches are open for swimming.

Multiple tests identified Enterococci bacteria at the Beachwood shore. These bacteria, found in soil, water, food, sewage, plants, human skin, and the oral cavity, are used as fecal indicators to assess water quality due to their strong correlation with swimming-related illnesses.

These bacteria are typically present in high concentrations in human feces, ranging from 104 to 106 bacteria per gram of wet weight, but they usually constitute less than one percent of the fecal flora, being outnumbered by other bacteria.

Most humans and animals have Enterococci in their intestinal tracts, with healthy humans often having counts of 105 to 107 bacteria per gram of stool.

For saltwater beaches, Enterococci levels should not exceed 104 per 100 milliliters (mL) in a single sample or 35/100 mL over a 60-day period. It is not clear how much bacteria was found in New Jersey.

In contrast, freshwater beaches should maintain stricter limits, with Enterococci levels at 61 cfu/100 mL or below in a single sample, as higher levels of bacteria in smaller bodies of water can pose greater risks of illness.