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
Swimming Advisory Issued for Yorktown Beach in Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown, Va. The Hampton and Peninsula Health Districts has issued a swimming advisory for Yorktown Beach in Yorktown, 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.
Recreational waters are monitored for bacteria routinely during the summer swimming season, using indicator organisms such as enterococci, the indicator of choice for estuarine and marine waters.
Signs are posted at the beaches alerting the public of the advisory. The signs read: “Warning swimmers – bacteria levels do not meet state water quality standards, swimming not advised until further notice”.
Health officials collected additional samples on Wednesday. The results should be available on Thursday. Officials will remove the signs and notify the public again when the bacteria levels decrease to levels that meet the state water quality standards.
Enterococci is a group of organisms used to determine the extent of fecal contamination of recreational waters. While these organisms do not cause illness, scientific studies indicate that their presence is closely correlated to the presence of other disease-causing organisms. People swimming or playing in waters with bacteria levels higher than the standard have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal illness.
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 “Typically, an advisory of this nature is temporary and will be withdrawn once the bacteria levels have returned to a safe level.”
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