Bayport Beach closed due to high levels of bacteria, Suffolk officials say

Bayport Beach in Bayport has been closed due to high levels of bacteria, Suffolk County announced Thursday.

The county regularly tests marine beaches for fecal contamination by collecting water samples and exposing them to enterococci, an indicator organism, in a laboratory, according to county officials and the county website.

Testing at Bayport Beach on Wednesday showed levels of enterococci colonies of 116 per 100 milliliters, which is above the maximum allowable level of 103 per 100 milliliters under state standards, county spokeswoman Grace Kelly-McGover said in an email.

Swimming in bacteria-contaminated water can cause health problems, including gastrointestinal illness and infections of the eyes, ears, nose, and throat, county officials said in a news release.

Kelly-McGovern said Friday that the beach will reopen when testing shows that bacteria levels have fallen to acceptable levels, which she said could happen as soon as Friday. 

The Bayport Beach is the only beach closed by Suffolk County due to bacteria at this time, Kelly-McGovern said.