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Some coastal waters have been declared safe for swimming along the coast of North Carolina as bacterial levels drop as a result of Hurricane Florence.
The BC Marine Fisheries Division said Friday that swimming at sea is now safe in Carteret, Pender and Onslow Counties. The clear signal is based on the water analysis results from Bogue Banks and Topsail Island.
On Saturday, the notification was lifted for New Hanover County after officials tested offshore bathing sites at Fort Fisher National Park in Wrightsville Beach, according to a press release. This includes the beaches of Wrightsville, Carolina and Kure.
A security alert remains in effect for the southern portion of the state, in the ocean waters of Hyde and Brunswick Counties, including Oak Island and Sunset Beach. The safety alert concerns the beaches of the ocean and coastal waters. People who come in contact with water should wash their hands and limit the exposure of water to cuts and open wounds.
The state also warns that shellfish such as oysters and crabs, which feed on the bottom, are more sensitive to contaminants after hurricanes. Fishing waters in areas affected by the storm will not be open for harvest until the state determines that they are safe.
Swimming in waters with a safety notice exposes people to risks of serious diseases, such as bacterial infections, earaches, hepatitis, rashes and respiratory problems, the agency said. The waters contain high levels of E. Coli, faecal coliforms and other pathogens.
After heavy rains and floods, coastal areas are submerged by runoff of bacteria from overflowing septic tanks and sewage treatment facilities, as well as industrial chemicals, solvents and wastes. animals picked up by flood waters and transported to sea.
At the height of the hurricane, 58 wastewater treatment plants were experiencing problems, such as power outages and overflows, and some discharged untreated sewage into streams and rivers.
"A lot of that runoff is now in the ocean," said Steve Murphey, Director of CN's Marine Fisheries Division. "It can take weeks for the water to disappear, especially in the south where there is a lot of river water coming out."
State officials have not been able to verify water security in the southern part of the state because the Wilmington state laboratory has been closed since the hurricane hit. For this reason, these areas are supposed to be polluted and remain subject to a precautionary notice.
The bathing notice for Dare and Currituck counties in the north of the state was lifted on Monday.
John Murawski: 919-829-8932; @johnmurawski
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