MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (WNCN) — North Carolina officials are advising people not to swim in coastal areas near the city of Morehead in Carteret County.
On Monday, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality announced that levels of bacteria found in the water exceed water quality standards for safe recreational water.
The advisory concerned a soundside area several blocks from the Atlantic Beach Bridge.
People are asked not to swim in the public access zone to Bogue Sound on Sunset Drive in Morehead City, according to a news release from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.
Water sample testing revealed a monthly average of 36 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water. This level exceeds state and federal standards of a monthly average of 35 enterococci per 100 milliliters, based on five samples taken over a 30-day period, officials said.
“The advisory is not a beach closure, nor does the advisory impact the entire city of Morehead,” officials said.
Enterococci may indicate the presence of other “disease-causing microorganisms” in the swimming area, according to a news release.
“People who swim or play in waters where bacterial levels exceed standards are at increased risk of developing gastrointestinal illnesses and skin infections,” officials said.
