The Department of Health and Environmental Control has issued a new swimming advisory for the water area near 3rd Avenue South in Surfside Beach.
DHEC says in a press release high levels of the enterococci bacteria were found in the area during recent water quality tests.
The bacteria is commonly found in warm-blooded animals and is an “indicator of the potential presence of other organisms which may cause diseases in humans,” according to DHEC. People swimming in waters with high bacteria levels have an “increased risk of developing gastrointestinal illness or skin infections.”
DHEC also says advisories won’t close beaches and they only affect the small areas listed. Short-term advisories “typically last only a few days and are lifted once follow-up sampling shows bacteria levels decrease to levels below the standards.”
DHEC recommends not swimming within the advisory area, but says “it is safe to wade, collect shells and fish within the swimming advisory area.” People with open cuts or wounds should avoid contact with the water.
For more information about DHEC’s water testing and to see recent sampling results, visit www.scdhec.gov/BeachMonitoring or call the Myrtle Beach DHEC office at 843-238-4378.