JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. – A health advisory for Middle Beach on Jekyll Island, Georgia, has been lifted, the Glynn County Health Department announced Thursday.
The advisory was issued Tuesday for Middle Beach at the Jekyll Island Convention Center, from the beach pavilion to the beach deck, after health officials said routine water quality tests showed enterococcus bacteria, which increases the risk of gastrointestinal illness in swimmers.
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READ: Beach Water Advisory FAQs
According to health officials, enterococcus bacteria is found in humans, birds, raccoons, dolphins and other wildlife. Sources of the bacteria could include animal waste, storm water runoff or boating waste.
When a beach is under advisory, it means that the level of bacteria found in the water is above the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended standards. It does not mean that the beach is closed, but beachgoers are recommended not to swim in the water in the area under advisory.
The health department said Thursday that the advisory was lifted after subsequent water samples showed the bacteria levels had dropped below the EPA's recommended limits.
To learn more about beach water testing, visit the Georgia Department of Public Health's website.
Click here for updated reports on water testing in Georgia.