Suffolk: 6 beaches closed over high bacteria levels

Benjamin Beach in Bay Shore and Shirley Beach in Shirley were closed to swimming after bacteria was found at levels higher than state standards, Suffolk County health officials said Tuesday.

Remaining closed for that same reason are: Tanner Park Beach, Copiague; the Copiague Harbor Property Owners Association beach; Lake Ronkonkoma Beach in Islip; and the lake at Peconic Dunes County Park in Southold.

Swimming in such contaminated water “can result in gastrointestinal illness, as well as infections of the eyes, ears, nose and throat,” Suffolk County Health Commissioner James Tomarken, S said in a news release.

To learn more and stay up to date on affected beaches, residents can call the county’s bathing beach hotline at 631-852-5822.