South Florida

Health Advisory Issued After Bacteria Found At Two South Florida Beaches

Health officials in Palm Beach County have issued a health advisory at two South Florida beaches after finding elevated levels of bacteria in the water.

The department found that bacterial levels at Spanish River Park and South Inlet Park were in the “poor” range, the department said. More than 71 colonies of bacteria were found per 100 milliliters of marine water, according to a statement.

As a precautionary measure, all beaches in Boca Raton have been temporarily closed for swimming, the city said. Regular swimming hours are expected to resume in the next 24 to 48 hours.

It is currently unknown what caused the surge in bacteria, but it could be associated with wildlife, high tides, high surf from high winds or storm water runoff, the department said.

The City of Boca Raton has placed advisory signs and red flags at beach entrances to enforce the temporary “no swimming” policy. They will be removed once water quality has been deemed satisfactory.

Officials sampled the beach waters at 13 locations from Boca Raton to Jupiter. Ratings for Palm Beach County and around the state can be found on www.flhealthpalmbeach.org.

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