LOCAL BEACH SWIMMING ADVISORIES LIFTED

LOCAL BEACH SWIMMING ADVISORIES LIFTED – Guard Shore Beach and Kiptopeke Beach Water Bacteria Levels Improved

(Accomac, Va.) The Eastern Shore Health District has lifted the swimming advisories that had been in place at Guard Shore Beach near Bloxom, Virginia and at Kiptopeke State Park
Beach near Cape Charles, Virginia. Recent follow up testing conducted within 24 hours of the initial samples confirmed that bacteria levels in the water once again meet the State Water
Quality Standards. Signs have been removed from Guard Shore Beach and Kiptopeke State Park Beach, previously alerting the public of the advisories.

Special “source tracking” samples have been sent to Virginia Tech to determine if the original high levels of enterococci bacteria were from human or animal sources. Environmental
health officials collect water samples from Guard Shore Beach and Kiptopeke Beach weekly throughout the summer swimming season. Beach water monitoring on the Eastern Shore of
Virginia normally ends the week of Labor Day.

For additional information about the recent beach advisory, contact the Eastern Shore Health District (757)787-5880.

To learn more about the beach water monitoring program in Virginia visit: http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-epidemiology/beach-monitoring/

For more information about recreational water swimming safety visit the website: www.swimhealthyva.com