The precautionary swimming advisory for parts of the North Carolina coast issued Aug. 7, when Tropical Storm Debby moved north from Florida, was lifted midday Wednesday for most oceanside sites.
The two oceanside sites where the advisory remains are Caswell Beach Public Beach access in Brunswick County, and at Sea Oats Drive in Rodanthe along Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
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The advisory is still in place for all soundside areas from the Wright Memorial Bridge in Kitty Hawk south to the South Carolina state line, as of Wednesday afternoon.
Water samples tested at the two oceanside sites and the soundside sites show bacterial levels that meet the state’s and Environmental Protection Agency’s safe swimming standards, according to a release from the North Carolina Recreational Water Quality Program.
Floodwaters and storm water runoff produced by excessive storm-generated rainfall can be contaminated with pollutants, including waste from septic systems, sewer line breaks, pet waste, wildlife and petroleum products and other chemicals, all of which at high levels can cause people to become sick, officials said.
“Recreational water quality officials continue to test these waters and will notify the public when water samples collected meet the state’s and EPA’s safe swimming standards,” the release states.
The Recreational Water Quality Program samples more than 200 coastal water sites on almost a weekly basis between April and October.
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A map of those test sites and more information about the program may be found at the program’s website and the program’s Twitter feed.
