West Coast beach shuttered due to fecal bacteria ahead of Labor Day weekend

Muddy waters ahead.

Just before Labor Day weekend, Oregon health officials are warning beachgoers to stay away from the water at a picturesque beach due to unsafe levels of fecal bacteria.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) released an advisory for Oceanside Beach in Tillamook County, Oregon on Wednesday, cautioning that visitors should “avoid direct contact with the water in this area.”

Exposure to unsafe levels of fecal bacteria can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections, and other illnesses, according to the advisory.

Children, the elderly and individuals with a compromised immune system should exercise “extra caution,” because they are especially vulnerable to waterborne bacteria, the advisory states.

Visitors should also avoid other water nearby, such as creeks, pools of water on the beach, or in discolored water, and stay clear of water runoff flowing into the ocean. These bodies of water tend to contain even higher levels of fecal bacteria.

Unsafe levels of facal bacteria levels in water can come from a variety of sources, including stormwater runoff, s ewer overflows., failing septic systems., animal waste from livestock, as well as pets and wildlife, according to the advisory.

While the water may be a no-go, state officials encouraged beachgoers to partake in other recreational activities such as flying kites, picnicking, playing, and simply walking on the beach, as these activities pose no health risks during a water advisory.

Officials are also reminding the public to avoid swimming in the ocean within 48 hours of a rainstorm.

Oceanside is not the only beach in Oregon under advisory for elevated fecal bacteria levels. The same advisory was issued for Siletz Bay in Lincoln County and Mill Beach in Curry County, both on September 3.

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