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Sept. 19, 2003 Contact: Bonnie Widerburg (503) 731-4180 "D" River and Beverly Beaches tests show water quality at safe levels An advisory issued last week in regard to fecal contamination at "D" River and Beverly Beaches in Lincoln County has been lifted by public health officials in the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS). "Recent test results show the waters at these beaches are safe for swimming and playing," said Gail Shibley, administrator of environmental health programs in DHS. Since the advisory was issued, the beaches have been retested three times. The first results showed high bacterial levels at "D" River Beach; subsequent second and third results show the bacterial levels at "D" River and Beverly Beach are below the federally mandated ambient water quality level for marine waters. "We will continue to monitor these two locations, along with 50 others, to ensure the public health of Oregonians is protected," Shibley said. "And, we will advise the public if these two or any other beaches show high levels of fecal contamination." The testing is done under the federally funded Beach program. Oregon received a grant to monitor beaches for fecal contamination in 2001 and works with the Department of Environmental Quality to periodically test waters at selected beaches. Additional information on the state’s beach program, including data for all 52 sites monitored since May 2003, is available on the Web. |
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