June 14, 2018
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
The Atlantic City skyline is one of the visual treats seen from the Ventnor City Fishing Pier.
Last week 10 beaches at the Jersey Shore were reported to have above the minimum level of Enterococci bacteria, and now the contamination level has expanded to dozens of more areas, calling for water quality advisories at no less than 47 Jersey Shore beaches.
Enterococci is a bacteria often linked to human and animal feces that can lead to a number of unsavory symptoms for people who make contact with it, including vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and flu-like symptoms. The New Jersey Sanitary Code requires a maximum 104 colonies of the bacteria for every 100 milliliters. Now numerous beaches throughout Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, and Ocean counties are exceeding that limit.
Why so much contamination? Officials say it's likely caused by the number of storms and rainfall so far this season, causing increased stormwater runoff.
For the time being, the following beaches in Atlantic City, Ventnor, Margate, Wildwood, Wildwood Crest and Cape May are among the shore towns where water quality advisories have been issued.
• Atlantic City at Dover Avenue
• Atlantic City at Michigan Avenue
• Atlantic City at Texas Avenue
• Atlantic City at Chelsea Avenue
• Atlantic City at Missouri Avenue
• Atlantic City at Illinois Avenue
• Atlantic City at Bartram Avenue
• Atlantic City at Albany Ave Ocean Front Avenue
• Atlantic City at Kentucky Avenue
• Margate City at Clermont Avenue
• Margate City at Osborne Avenue
• Margate City at Gladstone Avenue
• Ventnor City at Dorset Avenue
• Ventnor City at Washington Avenue
• Ventnor City at Austin Avenue
• Ventnor City at New Haven Avenue
• Cape May City at Grant Street
• Cape May City at Philadelphia Avenue
• Cape May City at Queen Street
• Lower Township at Richmond Avenue
• Wildwood City at Montgomery Avenue
• Wildwood City at Bennett Avenue
• Wildwood Crest at Jefferson Avenue
• Wildwood Crest at Miami Avenue
• Wildwood Crest at Orchid Road
• Wildwood Crest at Hollywood Avenue
• Wildwood Crest at Forget Me Not Road
• Wildwood Crest at Lavender Road
• Brick Township at Windward Beach
• Pine Beach Borough at East Beach Station Avenue
• Point Pleasant Beach Borough at Maryland Avenue
• Seaside Park Borough at 5th Avenue Bay Front
• Toms River Township at Shelter Cove
• Deal Borough at Hathaway Avenue Beach
• Deal Borough at Philips Avenue
• Deal Borough at Deal Casino
• Loch Arbour Village at Village Beach Club
• Long Branch City at Joline Avenue
• Long Branch City at Elberon Beach Club
• Long Branch City at South Bath Avenue
• Long Branch City at North Bath Avenue
• Long Branch City at Atlantic Avenue
• Long Branch City Ocean Beach Club
• Neptune Township at Broadway
• Sea Girt Borough at Neptune Place
• Spring Lake Borough at Brown Avenue South
• Spring Lake Borough at York Avenue
If the beaches turn out to have consecutive samples exceeding the bacteria standard, they could be closed entirely. Larry Hajna, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, told Patch the new levels of contamination are likely an offshoot of rain, saying, "Birds congregate a lot. When they defecate, it carries into the water."
Carry that lovely notion with you as you visit the shore this weekend, folks.
