State recreational water quality officials today issued an alert for three Wrightsville Beach ocean-side site after they showed levels of bacteria exceeding the state and Environmental Protection Agency’s recreational water quality swimming standards.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality issued the alert for ocean swimming by Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, public access no. 2 and public access no. 4 on the island’s north end. Samples collected yesterday show test results that exceed the state and federal single-sample standard of 104 enterococci per 100 milliliters for “Tier 1” high usage sites, state officials said.
Researchers will test again today, and with another sample of elevated bacteria counts, officials will post swimming advisory signs and issue an advisory and post swimming advisory signs in the area, the department said.