Belmar, Sea Girt Among 4 NJ Beaches Now Banning Swimming Over Fecal Contamination

I don't fully understand how this happens every year, but then again, I'm a radio host, not an environmental expert, so that's probably a part of it. Once again, as summer is getting into full swing, NJ beaches are having to ask people not to go into the water due to high amounts of fecal bacteria.

It's about as gross as it sounds.

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Beachwood Beach Is Closed To Swimming Due To Fecal Contamination

This happens almost every year at the Beachwood Beach without fail; this year is no exception, unfortunately, more on that here.

4 More Ocean And Monmouth County Beaches Ban Swimming Due To Fecal Contamination

It's now been announced that 4 more beaches around Ocean and Monmouth Counties are closed for swimming thanks to higher than acceptable levels of fecal bacteria.

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Why Are Beaches In NJ Banning Swimming?

The reason for the closures is that there are more than 104 colony-forming units (CFU's) of Enterococcus per 100 milliliters of water, which goes over the state's level of "acceptable fecal bacteria" for it to be safe.

According to APP, the weekend's past storms are partly to blame for the closures, as the rains and winds whipped pollution into the water, including fecal contamination.

What 4 Ocean And Monmouth County Beaches Have Now Banned Swimming?

The beaches that have currently banned swimming are as follows:

• Belmar's L Street River Beach, having more than 1,000 CFU's
• Highlands Rec Center Beach at Snug Harbor, with 315 CFU's
• Long Beach Townships, Stockton Avenue, Bayside Beach, With 140 CFU's
• Sea Girts Beach at the Terrace near wreck pond, with 1,000 CFU's

The beach areas of these places are open, but swimming is currently banned until the fecal contamination gets under control.

I've always been curious how this works. I live in Ocean Gate, maybe a mile or two South of the Beachwood Beach area, and our water doesn't have any fecal contamination.... but as far as I can tell, it's the same water. So, how does the contamination not just naturally spread to us?

I'll just count my lucky stars; it's not an issue, I guess.