Following a deluge that dumped more than six inches of rain over the course of a five-hour period producing massive amounts of stormwater runoff, an advisory against swimming was posted today at four Banks Channel sites
The advisory affects the following areas in Banks Channel off of Waynick Boulevard — between Snyder and Seashore streets; between Taylor and Bellamy streets; 150 yards north of Iula Street; and the Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) access at the corner of Waynick Boulevard and Sunset Avenue.
Bacteria levels found in the water exceed the state and Environmental Protection Agency’s recreational water quality standards. The advisory in is not a beach closing, and the advisory does not affect the entire Wrightsville Beach area. Swimming advisories affect water within 200 feet of the sign. Triplicate test results of samples taken on July 6 indicate enterococci levels that exceed the state and federal action levels of 104 enterococci per 100 milliliters for swimming areas are classified based on recreational use.
Enterococci, the bacteria group used for testing, are found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. While the bacteria group does not cause illness itself, scientific studies indicate that enterococci may indicate the presence of other disease-causing organisms. People swimming or playing in waters with bacteria levels higher than the action level have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal illness or skin infections.
The N.C. Division of Environmental Health tests water quality at ocean and sound beaches in accordance with federal and state laws. State officials will test the sites again today, and they will remove the signs and notify the public again when the bacteria levels decrease to levels below the standards. Environmental health officials sample 240 sites throughout the coastal region, most of them on a weekly basis, from April to October. Testing continues on a reduced schedule during the rest of the year, when the waters are colder.
