July 16, 2025
Media Contact: Tes La Dieu, Public Information Officer, taylor.ladieu@vdh.virginia.gov
757-594-7411, Mary Wainwright, Environmental Health Manager, 757-253-4286
Se emitió un aviso de natación para Hilton Beach y Huntington Beach en Newport News, Virginia
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. The Hampton and Peninsula Health Districts has issued a swimming advisory for Hilton and Huntington Beaches in the City of Newport News, Virginia. Samples collected on July 15, 2025, by the Peninsula Health District showed that bacteria levels in the water exceeded the state water quality standard.
Las aguas recreativas se monitorean en busca de bacterias de manera rutinaria durante la temporada de natación de verano, utilizando organismos indicadores como los enterococos, el indicador de elección para las aguas estuarinas y marinas.
Se colocan letreros en las playas para alertar al público sobre el aviso. Los letreros decían: "Advertencia a los nadadores: los niveles de bacterias no cumplen con los estándares estatales de calidad del agua, no se recomienda nadar hasta nuevo aviso".
Health officials collected additional samples on Wednesday. The results should be available on Thursday.
Officials will remove the signs and notify the public when the bacteria levels decrease and meet the state water quality standards.
Los enterococos son un grupo de organismos utilizados para determinar el grado de contaminación fecal de las aguas recreativas. Si bien estos organismos no causan enfermedades, los estudios científicos indican que su presencia está estrechamente correlacionada con la presencia de otros organismos causantes de enfermedades. Las personas que nadan o juegan en aguas con niveles de bacterias más altos que el estándar tienen un mayor riesgo de desarrollar enfermedades gastrointestinales.
We are advising the public to avoid activities in the advisory area that will result in prolonged contact such as swimming or stand-up paddle boarding (SUPing) and prevent pets from swimming. Activities that result in limited contact such wading in the water to launch a boat, kayaking, canoeing, may continue with proper caution.
“We encourage the public to protect their health by complying with this advisory,” said Mary Wainwright, Environmental Health Manager of the Hampton & Peninsula Health Districts.
“Typically, an advisory of this nature is temporary and will be withdrawn once the bacteria levels have returned to a safe level.”
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