New York City health officials are advising people to avoid swimming at a dozen beaches after heavy rainfall caused bacteria levels in the water to rise.
The advisory applies not only to swimming but also to wading in the affected beach areas.
Health Department Issues Beach Water Advisory
The New York City Health Department is warning beachgoers to stay out of the water because of elevated bacteria levels following several days of rain.
Despite the advisory, some visitors said they did not hear any announcements at the beach.
Only one small sign was seen on the boardwalk, leaving some people concerned that the warning was not clear enough.
Beachgoers Say Warnings Should Be Stronger
Visitor Stephanie Grinberg said people should be warned more clearly about the situation.
Her reaction reflected the frustration of many beachgoers who had already arrived before learning about the water quality issue.
Bacteria Levels Rise Sharply at Coney Island
Health officials say average bacteria levels are usually about 20 per 100 milliliters of water.
However, after torrential rain at Coney Island, bacteria levels reportedly reached around 227 per 100 milliliters.
That is more than 10 times higher than the usual average.
Health Risks From Contaminated Water
Dr. Bruce Farber, infectious disease chief at Northwell, said the most common risk comes from accidentally swallowing contaminated water.
He said that can lead to stomach illness, viral infections or bacterial infections.
Contaminated water may also irritate the eyes and ears.
Farber added that most people do not like the idea of swimming in water that may be unsafe.
Tourists Still Enter the Water
Many of the people swimming were tourists.
Visitor Spencer Phelps said the ocean still felt appealing because he is used to freshwater and does not often get to visit the coast.
For some visitors, the warning did not stop them from enjoying the beach.
New Yorkers Frustrated by Advisory
Some New Yorkers were disappointed after making the trip to the beach only to learn they were being advised not to go in the water.
For them, the bacteria advisory disrupted plans for a summer beach day.
Coney Island Still Offers Activities
Even with the water advisory in place, officials and visitors noted that there is still plenty to enjoy at Coney Island.
Beachgoers can still spend time on the sand, walk the boardwalk and enjoy nearby attractions while avoiding the water.
New York City’s warning about elevated bacteria levels serves as a reminder that heavy rain can quickly affect beach water quality. While swimming and wading are discouraged at several beaches, visitors can still enjoy Coney Island and other beach areas safely by staying out of the water until conditions improve.