Swimming Advisory 53rd Street in Miami Beach
August 23, 2017
DOH-Miami-Dade Issues a Swimming Advisory at 53rd Street in
Miami Beach
Contact:
Communications Office
786-336-1276
Miami, Fla. – Samples of beach water collected at 53rd Street in Miami Beach did not meet the
recreational water quality standard for enterococci. By state regulation, the Florida Department
of Health in Miami-Dade County is required to issue an advisory to inform the public in a specific
area when this standard is not met. An advisory has been issued because two consecutive
samples collected at this beach exceeded the Federal and State recommended standard for
enterococci (greater than 70 colony forming units of enterococci per 100ml for a single
sample).
The advisory issued recommends not swimming at this location at this time. The results of the
sampling indicate that water contact may pose an increased risk of illness, particularly for
susceptible individuals.
The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County has been conducting marine beach
water quality monitoring at 16 sites, including the beach site at 53rd Street in Miami Beach
weekly since August 2002, through the Florida Healthy Beaches Program. The sampling sites
are selected based on the frequency and intensity of recreational water use and the proximity to
pollution sources. The water samples are being analyzed for enteric bacteria enterococci that
normally inhabit the intestinal track of humans and animals, and which may cause human
disease, infections, or illness. The prevalence of enteric bacteria is an indicator of fecal
pollution, which may come from storm water run-off, wildlife, pets and human sewage. The
purpose of the Florida Healthy Beaches program is to determine whether Florida has significant
beach water quality concerns.
For more information, please visit the Florida Healthy Beaches Program Website:
http://www.flhealth.gov and Select “Beach Water Quality”, from the Environmental Health Topics
List.
About the Florida Department of Health
The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to
protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county
and community efforts.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the
Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.