State recreational water quality officials today advised beachgoers to be aware of the floodwaters being pumped to the ocean surf in Oak Island. Surfers and swimmers should avoid these sites.
Recent heavy rains caused flooding of streets, yards, and housing in parts of Oak Island and nearby communities. To minimize the flooding damage and to ensure roads are accessible for emergency vehicles, the town has pumped floodwater into the ocean at 75th East Street and at Sherrill Street.
These waters can contain pollutants such as waste from wildlife and pets, oil and gasoline from parking lots and waste from septic systems or sewers.
This notice does not imply that disease-causing organisms are present in the water; it is meant to caution beachgoers of an increased risk that contamination that can cause adverse health effects could occur. State officials lift the advisory and notify the public once the health risk has decreased.
State recreational water quality officials sample 210 sites throughout the coastal region, most of them on a weekly basis, from April to October. Testing continues on a reduced schedule during the rest of the year, when the waters are colder.
For more information on the N.C. Recreational Water Quality Program, visit the program’s website, view a map of the testing sites, and follow the program’s Twitter feed.