No Swimming Allowed at Seaside Heights Beaches

Seaside Heights beaches will be open Thursday, but swimming will not be permitted.

The reason is negative water quality tests.

Seaside Heights Mayor Christoper Vaz said in a statement on Facebook:

This is the first time any of us can remember in more than 20 years that we have had to suspend ocean bathing due to water quality. The ocean waters have been great the past few years right up to now, so this is a very unusual event that we expect to pass quickly.

The Mayor wants to stress that the beaches are open, but visitors will not be permitted in the water. Bathing will be allowed at the bay beached.

As a thank you to everyone who comes during the closure, the beaches are free and visitors will be given a coupon for free beach admission on another day this season.

The mayor expects swimming to be allowed by Friday following additional water quality tests.

So why is the water quality so poor? Mayor Vaz said:

The negative tests are apparently a result of either the unusually heavy rains earlier this week or the extremely clean ocean waters drawing a lot of bait fish to along the beach, followed by enormous numbers of seagulls.

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