By Karen Wall, Patch Staff
BEACHWOOD, NJ — After a fourth straight week of Beachwood (NJ) officials have shut down swimming for the rest of the summer at the beach on the Toms River., Beachwood officials have shut down swimming at the borough’s beach for the rest of the summer of 2024.
“For the safety, health and welfare of the residents and others, the Mayor and Council have decided to close swimming at the beach for the remainder of the 2024 season due to the Ocean County Health Department reporting of excessive bacteria levels found in the water,” a statement posted on the borough website said.
“You may still sit and take in the lovely view of the scenery but no one will be permitted to swim,” the statement said.
The Beachwood beach, which sits on the Toms River, has had water quality issues for several years, with repeated instances of high levels of Enterococci bacteria. The standard is 104 colonies per 100 milliliters of sampled water.
Water samples that exceed 104 colonies prompt swimming advisories, and swimming bans when retesting shows continuing levels that exceed the standard.
If you like this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for an entire month.
