NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – All the recent flooding has some people wondering if run-off into the ocean means it’s unsafe to swim at the beach. North Myrtle Beach has even sent out an advisory about that. City leaders say while it is a great time to hit the sand, you may want to think about getting in the water right now.
Friday morning North Myrtle Beach sent out an advisory, saying that the beach is open and visitors are welcome. However it also acknowledges there has been a lot of flooding inland and more water runoff than normal. So people may not want to swim right now.
City spokesman Pat Dowling said you can still swim if you want, but there have been lots of questions about if the runoff is harmful and about brownish discoloration.
“The coloration itself is fine,” Dowling said. “It’s just vegetative matter, and it’s a sort of a dye just like tea… but what else is in river water is something we don’t test for.”
Dowling said the swimming advisory is based on both what they do and don’t know about the ocean water right now. The regular water testing for a certain bacteria has come back pretty normal. However, Dr. Susan Libes at Coastal Carolina University said oxygen levels and salt levels have been lower in recent tests. Both could be a concern.
For example, low salt is evidence there has been a lot of fresh water flowing into the ocean, and it could be carrying all sorts of chemicals or heavy metals. However, there is no actual test for those things, which is why North Myrtle Beach put out the advisory.
“We’re advising them to stay out of the water and not swim, but the beach is open, and if they choose to go swimming we’re not going to stop them,” Dowling said. “It’s just an advisory, and it’s our best advice.”
Libes also said anything that could be a threat to health could be diluted so much in the ocean that it is not harmful, but again there is really no way to know.
She pointed out there would be no indication at all about the ocean water quality if North Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach and Horry County were not paying to have samples tested.