5 Water safety tips for the summer Wochit

Visitors to the Asbury Park beach enjoy both the beach and the bar along the side of Convention Hall as they all cool off in their own way.(Photo: P Ackerman/Staff Phtographer, P Ackerman/Staff Photograher)Buy Photo

Multiple beaches from Highlands to Toms River were under bacteria advisories Tuesday aftertesting on Monday by local health officials revealed unsafe conditions.

Once again, Monmouth County continues to struggle with levels of bacteria that makes its water even on generally cleaner oceanfront beaches unfit for bathers.

Per NJbeaches.org, here are the 16 beaches that tested above the safe swimming threshold, 104 colony forming units, on Tuesday:

Deal's Hathaway Avenue beach is not open to swimmers at all so there is no advisory at that location.

The beaches will be sampled again on Wednesdaymorning and those results will be posted on app.com as soon as they are released.

Every Tuesday online, the Press and app.com will post water-quality test results from every Jersey Shore beach that exceeds federal safe swimming standards for fecal bacteria.

NEW THIS MORNING: Boat lift involved in fatal electrocution of girl was corroded

In New Jersey, rainfall is closely linked to high bacteria levels near beaches.

Bacteria counts tend to spike following precipitation, and then moderate as the rainwater is dispersed into the river, bay or ocean. Even a tenth-of-an-inch or less can cause bacteria advisories.

Scattered showers on Saturday evening dropped light rain on the Shore and that is likely behind Monday's high samples, according to Larry Hajna, spokesman for theNew Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

The tests are part of a weekly monitoring program thatis on the lookout forenterococcus, a bacteria that grows inside the intestines of humans and other warm-blooded animals and can be found alongside their feces. This kind of bacteria is considered a warning sign of dangerous pathogens.

LAST WEEK: Dolphins, whales spotted off Ocean County coast

Swallowing contaminated water could result in cramps and diarrhea from gastrointestinal illnesses, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Setting aside water quality issues for a moment, another threat lurks in the water this week: rip currents. A rip current is a possible suspect in the drowning of two Belmar girls last Thursday.

The National Weather Service considers the Shore to be under a moderate risk of rip currents, powerful channels of water that drag swimmers away from the beach.

Watch the video below for tips on how to get out of a rip current and always swim within eyesight of a lifeguard.

What characterizes a rip current and how do you get out of one?

Along with water sampling, the state of New Jersey also conducts coastal flights six days a week. A small plane will fly up and down the Shore, looking for floating debris, remotely sensing for algae blooms and spotting marine life.

Here's what they observed in the past week. The list is light because multiple flights were canceled due to weather conditions:

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

TRAGEDY: Belmar girl dies after days on life support

WEATHER: Tuesday calls for mostly sunny, and a moderate risk for rip currents

THINGS TO DO: Your warm weather guide for the Jersey Shore

Russ Zimmer: 732-557-5748, razimmer@app.com

Read or Share this story: http://on.app.com/2sPOC0p

The rest is here:

Beach report: Too much bacteria at 16 Shore beaches - Asbury Park Press