FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2012
Contact: Robbie Wilbur
601/961-5277
MDEQ ISSUES WATER CONTACT ADVISORIES FOR TWO LOCATIONS
(JACKSON, Miss.) -- The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), through its Beach Monitoring Program, issued water contact advisories today for two sampling stations in Harrison County. These segments of beach are not closed; however, there may be an increased risk of illness associated with swimming in those areas.
MDEQ is working closely with local officials to advise residents that the water in the following locations may have high bacteria levels:
●Station 7 -- Pass Christian East -- from Espy Avenue east to Hayden Avenue;
●Station 7A -- Long Beach -- from Oak Gardens Avenue east to Girard Avenue.
When water samples show that levels are safe for human contact, the advisories will be lifted. The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, which performs water sampling of the Mississippi Gulf Coast beaches for MDEQ, notifies the agency when an area has returned to acceptable levels.
Additionally, swimmers are reminded that the Beach Task Force has a standing recommendation that swimming not occur during or within 24 hours of a significant rainfall event.
A beach closure issued April 25 for Station 4 in Hancock County (extends from the box culvert east to Ballantine Street) is still in effect. The closure was issued due beach re-nourishment activities underway in the area.
More information on the Mississippi Beach Monitoring Program:
http://www.usm.edu/gcrl/msbeach/index.cgi.
To receive beach advisories directly, send an email to rwilbur@deq.state.ms.us for inclusion in a public group email list or follow MDEQ on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/MDEQ.
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