#Contamination warnings issued for 5 #MaineBeaches heading into Labor Day weekend

John Terhune, Portland Press Herald, Maine
September 1, 2023

"Contaminated waters could hinder #beach adventures from York to Camden this Labor Day weekend.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has issued contamination warnings for five Maine beaches after finding elevated levels of #fecalbacteria.

"The affected beaches are #WillardBeach in #SouthPortland, #GooseRocksBeach in #Kennebunkport, #GoochsBeach in #Kennebunk, #CapeNeddickBeach in #YorkMaine and #LaiteBeach in #CamdenMaine. Total beach closures are rare in Maine, and as of Friday night all five affected beaches remained open.

"The presence of enterococci bacteria suggests water also may contain other harmful bacteria, #viruses or #parasites, according to the DEP's Maine Healthy Beaches program, which tracks water quality at public beaches from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Contact with contaminated water can cause flu-like symptoms, #gastrointestinal issues, rashes and #infection.

"Beachgoers are advised to avoid areas with contamination warnings.

"Laite Beach in Camden, which had more than 26 times more fecal bacteria than the threshold deemed safe, was the most contaminated beach on Friday night, according to DEP data."

https://news.yahoo.com/contamination-warnings-issued-5-maine-035900165.html

#Maine #WetlandPreservation #SewageInfrastructure #WaterIsLife #ExtremeRain
#ExtremeWeather #ClimateChange

Group warns of potentially polluted water identified at #MaineBeaches

Maine Public | By Caty DuDevoir
Published July 11, 2023 at 2:39 PM EDT

"Thirty-six beaches in Maine were considered potentially unsafe for swimming on at least one day of #bacteria testing in 2022, according to a recent report.

"Sewage overflows and runoff pollution contaminated the waters surrounding multiple popular swimming spots such as #GoochsBeach in #Kennebunkport and #FerryBeach in #Scarborough.

"John Rumpler is the clean water director at the Environment Maine Research & Policy Center who co-authored the report.

"When we pave over everything with #ParkingLots, #StripMalls and big #roadways, that water has nowhere to go, so it sweeps up all the #pollution on the surface and pulls it right into nearby #rivers, #streams, and #coastalwaters, or overwhelms our combined sewage systems,' Rumpler says.

"Rumpler says that preserving the state's #wetlands can restore and expand the land's natural capacity to absorb rain water, and continuing to repair #sewage #infrastructure across the state is a step in the right direction.

"With the heavy precipitation these last few weeks, Rumpler is worried that pollution levels may be higher.

"Beach water quality updates can be found on the Maine Department of Environmental Protection website."

https://www.mainepublic.org/environment-and-outdoors/2023-07-11/group-warns-of-potentially-polluted-water-identified-at-maine-beaches

#Wetlands #WetlandPreservation #SewageInfrastructure #WaterIsLife #ExtremeRain #ExtremeWeather #ClimateChange