State officials today lifted the precautionary advisory against swimming due to Tropical Cyclone 8 for all swimming areas in New Hanover and Brunswick counties, except for two sound-side sites in Wrightsville Beach and for areas where stormwater pumping to the surf is still ongoing.
The precautionary advisory is lived for most waters because test results of water samples show bacterial levels that meet the states and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s safe swimming standards,
Two two sites along Banks Channel off Waynick Boulevard in Wrightsville Beach remain under advisory:
- The public access between Taylor and Bellamy Streets; and
- The public access at Sunset Avenue.
These areas continue to show elevated bacteria levels that exceed the state and federal safe swimming standards. State officials will continue testing these sites, and they will remove the signs and notify the public again when the bacteria levels decrease to levels below the standards.
Additionally, the precautionary advisory against swimming remains in effect for areas where floodwater pumping is still occurring in Bald Head Island and in Oak Island at Crowell Street. The recent heavy rains have caused flooding of streets, yards and housing and to minimize damage, the towns are permitted to pump floodwaters to the surf.
Recreational water quality officials sample 221 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 waters are colder.
For more information on the N.C. Recreational Water Quality Program or to a view a map of testing sites, visit the program’s website, and follow the program’s Twitter feed.