The Town of Palm Beach posted an update late Thursday, clearing the beaches for swimming.
Recent test samples showed poor water quality for Jupiter Beach Park and Midtown Beach in Palm Beach, according to the Florida Department of Health’s Palm Beach County office.
Photo: Big surf in Palm Beach this week. Surfer Jeff Thiel. Photographer: William Davis
The levels of enterococci, a bacteria associated with gastrointestinal problems and infected cuts, were in excess of 200 colonies per 100 milliliters of marine water. Samples must be under 70 colonies for the advisories to be lifted.
The elevated bacterial levels are generally associated with the presence of wildlife, heavy recreational usage, high surf from high winds and high tides, or runoff following heavy rainfall. Surf in area waters has been heavy for several days.
Read More (Palm Beach Daily News)
Even though the waves have died down for now, they stirred up so much in the ocean and inlets the bacteria is off the charts!
Huge Surf Stirred Up Ocean This Week
Photo: North side of Palm Beach Inlet. Yosh at SimpleLife Photography @simplelife_photography1
Lake Worth Pier Video: Underwater Florida
Reef Road. Photo: Ivy Yin
Reef Road. Photo: Ivy Yin
