Bradford Beach closed for swimming

The Milwaukee Health Department posted on Wednesday that Bradford Beach is closed for swimming until further notice.

Both Bradford and South Shore beaches have a red placard on the website, indicating the water quality is at elevated risk for illness from "exposure to micro-organisms."

The beaches are closed due to reports of E. coli, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources beach monitoring map.

The Milwaukee Health Department said that symptoms of E. coli illness include upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, headache, fever and infections of the eye, ear and throat.

Elevated levels of E. coli can happen due to "human or animal activity in or near the water, rain water washing waste or debris into the water, or discharges of incompletely treated wastewaters from nearby water treatment plants," according to the Milwaukee Health Department website.

Beaches will be open for swimming once E. coli levels decrease to a safer amount.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bradford Beach closed for swimming