Miami-Dade

No Swimming: Fecal Bacteria Levels at Collins Park Beach Too High

Think again if you're planning a beach day at Collins Park Beach near 21st Street, as Miami-Dade officials warn of an excess of fecal bacteria in the water.

The Miami-Dade County Department of Health on Thursday issued a swimming advisory in which it said it collected two consecutive samples at the beach that exceed the federal and state recommended standard for enterococci bacteria.

The standard is 70 colony forming units per 100-milliliter sample. A forming unit is what is used to estimate the number of visible bacteria or fungal cells within a sample.

"The advisory issued recommends not swimming at this location at this time," the health department said in a statement. "The results of the sampling indicate that water contact may pose an increased risk of illness, particularly for susceptible individuals."

Since 2002, Miami-Dade's health department has been conducting marine beach water quality monitoring at 17 locations, which are selected depending from the number of visitors who swim there and that location's proximity to pollution sources.

Enterococci bacteria are normally found in the intestinal tract of humans and animals and can cause diseases, infections or illnesses for humans such as urinary tract infections and, though less frequently, meningitis and pneumonia.

"The prevalence of enteric bacteria is an indicator of fecal pollution, which may come from stormwater run-off, wildlife, pets and human sewage," the department said.

The health department did not detail how long the advisory would last.

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