Swimming Advisory North Shore 73rd Street MB
August 9, 2017
DOH-Miami-Dade Issues a Swimming Advisory at North Shore
(73rd Street) in Miami Beach
Contact:
Communications Office
786-336-1276
Miami, Fla. – Samples of beach water collected at North Shore (73rd 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 North Shore (73rd Street)
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.