Tag: swimming advisory

Swimming Advisory Issued for Buckroe Beach South in Hampton

June 17, 2026
Media Contacts: Tes La Dieu, Public Information Officer,  757-594-7411
taylor.ladieu@vdh.virginia.gov

Mary Wainwright, Environmental Health Manager, 757-253-4286

 

Swimming Advisory Issued for Buckroe Beach South in Hampton

HAMPTON, Va.– The Hampton Health District has issued a swimming advisory for Buckroe Beach South located by the James T Wilson fishing pier. Samples collected on June 16 by the Hampton Health District showed that bacteria levels in the water exceeded the state water quality standard.

Health district staff routinely monitor recreational waters for bacteria during the summer swimming season. Signs are posted at the beaches alerting the public of advisories. The signs read: “Warning swimmers – bacteria levels do not meet state water quality standards, swimming not advised until further notice”.

Additional samples were collected by health officials on Wednesday and results should be available on Thursday. Officials will remove the signs and notify the public when the bacteria levels decrease to levels that meet the state water quality standards.

People swimming or playing in waters with bacteria levels higher than the standard have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal illness. Health officials use a bacteria called enterococci to determine the extent of fecal contamination in 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.

“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 “Typically, an advisory of this nature is temporary and will be withdrawn once the bacteria levels have returned to a safe level.”

Residents are encouraged to check current advisories before visiting local beaches.

Swimming Advisory Lifted for Buckroe Beach South

June 11, 2026
Media Contact:  Tes La Dieu, Population Health Manager, (757) 594-7411

 

Swimming Advisory Lifted for Buckroe Beach South

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton Health District has received results from sampling completed on Wednesday June 10, 2026. These results indicate that bacteria levels in the water at Buckroe Beach South meet the state water quality standards for recreational waters.  The swimming advisory is no longer in effect at this location.

Environmental health officials sample Buckroe North, Buckroe South, Buckroe Middle, Fort Monroe, and Salt Ponds public beaches on a weekly basis during the swimming season from May to September.

Residents are reminded to observe the following guidelines as they enjoy the summer swimming season:

  • Do not swim in water that looks stagnant, muddy, or smells unpleasant.
  • Avoid swallowing river, stream, lakes, or other recreational water.
  • Prevent direct contact between broken skin and recreational water.
  • Avoid swimming in natural water bodies (rivers, streams, lakes, etc.) for several days after heavy rainfall.

Residents are encouraged to check current advisories before visiting local beaches.

 

 

Swimming Advisory Issued for Buckroe Beach South in Hampton 

June 10th, 2026
Media Contact: Tes La Dieu, Population Health Manager,
(757) 594-7411

 

Swimming Advisory Issued for Buckroe Beach South in Hampton 

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton Health District has issued a swimming advisory for Buckroe Beach South in the City of Hampton, VA. Samples collected on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, by the Hampton Health District showed that bacteria levels in the water exceeded the state water quality standard.

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.”

Additional samples were collected by health officials on Wednesday, and 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.

“We encourage the public to protect their health by complying with this advisory,” said Mary Wainwright, Environmental Health Manager of the Hampton and 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.”

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.

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.

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Swimming Advisory Issued for Hilton and Huntington Beaches in Newport News

May 27, 2026

Media Contacts: Tes La Dieu, Public Information Officer,
757-594-7411
taylor.ladieu@vdh.virginia.gov

Mary Wainwright, Environmental Health Manager:
757-253-4286

Swimming Advisory Issued for Hilton and Huntington Beaches in Newport News

NEWPORT NEWS, Va.—The Peninsula Health District has issued a swimming advisory for Hilton Beach and Huntington Beach. Samples collected on May 26 by the Peninsula Health District showed that bacteria levels in the water exceeded the state water quality standard.

Health district staff routinely monitor recreational waters for bacteria during the summer swimming season. Signs are posted at the beaches alerting the public of advisories. The signs read: “Warning swimmers – bacteria levels do not meet state water quality standards, swimming not advised until further notice”.

Additional samples were collected by health officials on Wednesday and results should be available on Thursday. Officials will remove the signs and notify the public when the bacteria levels decrease to levels that meet the state water quality standards.

People swimming or playing in waters with bacteria levels higher than the standard have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal illness. Health officials use a bacteria called enterococci to determine the extent of fecal contamination in 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.

“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.”

Residents are encouraged to check current advisories before visiting local beaches.

 

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Swimming Advisory Lifted Buckroe Beach South in Hampton 

May 21, 2026
Media Contact: Tes La Dieu, Population Health Manager, (757) 594-7411

 

Swimming Advisory Lifted Buckroe Beach South in Hampton 

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton Health District has received results from sampling completed on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. These results indicate that bacteria levels in the water at Buckroe Beach South meet the state water quality standards for recreational waters.  The swimming advisory is no longer in effect at this location.

Environmental health officials sample Buckroe North, Buckroe South, Buckroe Middle, Fort Monroe, and Salt Ponds public beaches on a weekly basis during the swimming season from May to September.

Residents are reminded to observe the following guidelines as they enjoy the summer swimming season:

  • Do not swim in water that looks stagnant, muddy, or smells unpleasant.
  • Avoid swallowing river, stream, lakes, or other recreational water.
  • Prevent direct contact between broken skin and recreational water.
  • Avoid swimming in natural water bodies (rivers, streams, lakes, etc.) for several days after heavy rainfall.

 

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Swimming Advisory Issued for Buckroe Beach South in Hampton 

May 20th, 2026
Media Contact: Tes La Dieu, Population Health Manager, (757) 594-7411

Swimming Advisory Issued for Buckroe Beach South in Hampton 

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton Health District has issued a swimming advisory for Buckroe Beach South in the City of Hampton, VA. Samples collected on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, by the Hampton Health District showed that bacteria levels in the water exceeded the state water quality standard.

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.”

Additional samples were collected by health officials on Wednesday, May 20th, 2026, and the results should be available on Thursday, May 21st, 2026. Officials will remove the signs and notify the public again when the bacteria levels decrease to levels that meet the state water quality standards.

“We encourage the public to protect their health by complying with this advisory,” said Mary Wainwright, Environmental Health Manager of the Hampton and 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.”

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.

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.

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Swimming Advisory Issued for Cape Charles Public Beach 

August 20, 2025
Media Contact: Bill Pfeiffer, Environmental Health Supervisor
(757) 414-6252 or (757) 302-4278

Swimming Advisory Issued for Cape Charles Public Beach 

NASSAWADOX, Va. – The Northampton County Health Department has issued a swimming advisory for the Cape Charles Public Beach, Cape Charles, Virginia.  Beach water samples collected on August 19, 2025, by the Virginia Department of Health showed that bacteria levels in the water exceeded the State Water Quality Standards.

Recreational waters are monitored for bacteria using indicator organisms such as enterococci, the indicator of choice for estuarine and marine waters.  “The coastal waters of Virginia are generally very clean, and we test them frequently to confirm this,” said Eastern Shore Health District Director, Jon Richardson.   “On the occasions when waters do fail to meet the standards, we need to protect public health by letting residents and visitors know.”  Signs have been posted at the Fe

Warning!   Swimming Advisory
Bacteria Levels Do Not Meet State Water Quality Standards
Swimming Not Recommended Until Further Notice

Health officials will continue testing the site, and they will remove the signs and notify the public again when the bacteria levels decrease to levels that meet the standard. Environmental health officials sample Cape Charles Public Beach on a weekly basis during the swimming season from late May to early September.

Enterococci is a group of organisms used to determine the extent of fecal contamination of recreational waters. While they 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 encourage the public to protect their health by following this advisory,” said Richardson. “Typically, an advisory of this nature is temporary and will be withdrawn once the bacteria levels have returned to a safe level.”

For additional information on beach advisories, contact the Northampton County Health Department at (757) 414-6252.  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.

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Swimming Advisory Issued for Captain’s Quarters Park in Norfolk

                                                                             

Date: August 19, 2025

Media Contact: Marcia Snyder
Norfolk Health Department, Environmental Health Supervisor, Marcia.Snyder@vdh.virginia.gov
757-406-0282

Swimming Advisory Issued for Captain’s Quarters Park in Norfolk

NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk Department of Public Health has issued a Swimming Advisory for Captain’s Quarters Park in Ocean View.  Water testing conducted yesterday revealed enterococci bacteria levels at this site exceeding State Water Quality Standards. Signs have been posted to alert the public of this advisory. Health officials will continue testing beach water and will remove posted signs and notify the public when the bacteria levels decrease to meet state standards.

The Environmental Health Division of the Norfolk Department of Public Health samples Ocean View beach water on a weekly basis, during the swimming season, from late-May through mid-September. Enterococci bacteria is a group of indicator organisms used to determine the extent of fecal contamination in recreational waters.

While enterococci bacteria do not generally 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 state standards have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal illness.

For further information, call the Environmental Health Division, Norfolk Department of Public Health, at 757-683-2712.  For information about the Virginia Department of Health’s Beach Monitoring Program, current swimming advisory maps, and helpful tips about recreational water safety, please visit: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/waterborne-hazards-control/beach-monitoring/

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Swimming Advisory Issued For Yorktown Beach, Virginia

August 14, 2025
Media Contact: Tes La Dieu, Population Health Manager, (757) 594-7411

Swimming Advisory Issued For Yorktown Beach, Virginia

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Peninsula Health District has issued a swimming advisory for South Yorktown Beach in Yorktown, VA. Samples collected on August 12 and again on August 13 by the Peninsula Health District showed that bacteria levels in the water exceeded the state water quality standard. The re-samples collected on August 13 by the Peninsula Health District in North Yorktown Beach no longer exceed the state limits and will be removed from the advisory.

Signs were removed from North Yorktown Beach, and additional signs were added to South Yorktown Beach 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.”

“We encourage the public to protect their health by complying with this advisory,” said Mary Wainwright, Environmental Health Manager of the Hampton and 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.”

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.

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.

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Swimming Advisory Issued for King-Lincoln Beach in Newport News, Virginia

August 6, 2025
Media Contact: Tes La Dieu, Population Health Manager, (757) 594-7411

Swimming Advisory Issued for King-Lincoln Beach in Newport News, Virginia

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Peninsula Health District has issued a swimming advisory for King-Lincoln Beach in Newport News, VA. Samples collected on August 6, 2025, by the Peninsula Health District showed that bacteria levels in the water exceeded the state water quality standard.

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.”

“We encourage the public to protect their health by complying with this advisory,” said Mary Wainwright, Environmental Health Manager of the Hampton and 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.”

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.

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.

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