FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 25, 2012
Contact: Robbie Wilbur
601/961-5277
MDEQ ISSUES WATER CONTACT ADVISORY FOR TWO LOCATIONS AND LIFTS ADVISORIES FOR TWO LOCATIONS
(JACKSON, Miss.) -- The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), through its Beach Monitoring Program, issued a water contact advisory today for two sampling stations in Hancock 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:
* Sampling Station 3 - Waveland Beach near Vacation Lane, Waveland. The extent is from Oak Boulevard eastward to Farve Street.
* Sampling Station 4 - Bay St. Louis Beach near St. Charles Street, Bay St. Louis. The extent is from the box culvert eastward to Ballantine Street.
The water contact advisory issued for Sampling Station 10A, Courthouse Road Beach near Courthouse Road west parking lot, Gulfport, remains in effect.
When water samples show that levels are safe for human contact, the advisory 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.
The water contact advisory issued for the following two locations has been lifted:
* Sampling Station 14 - Front Beach near Martin Ave., Ocean Springs
* Sampling Station 15 - Shearwater Beach near Holcomb Blvd., Ocean Springs
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.
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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