While we spend zillions on security at Mar-a-Lago and shuttling Trump children around the world and leaving Melania’s son in private school in Manhattan, the President is cutting money to check if we’re all swimming in fecal swamps.
 
Yes, his budget would eliminate the funding that pays to test the water at our beaches every week for nasty bacteria. Namely, “enterococcus,” the sign of fecal contamination – causing maladies from gastrointestinal illness to ugly rashes.
 
This is the result of raw sewage overflows that are the worst after heavy rain. Last summer, our beaches were either under advisory or closed 134 times for that reason, the Asbury Park Press reports. It was the worst season in five years.
 
One week of testing found 19 beaches in Monmouth and Ocean counties had water teeming with so much bacteria, it wasn’t safe to swim in. Read the full Star-Ledger editorial Like this? Use form in upper right to receive free updates
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