Water-quality advisory for Rehoboth Beach lifted

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has lifted a water quality advisory that was put in place July 28, for the beach around the Rehoboth Avenue area of Rehoboth Beach. The advisory was issued following bacterial results which were above the recreational water quality standard.

DNREC uses enterococcus levels to determine recreational swimming advisories in Delaware, with the threshold beginning at greater than 104 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters. According to the sample data found online, there were 638 colony-forming units during a test July 27. A test taken July 25 at the same location found 5 colony-forming units. The same data set also shows this is the first bacteria-related closure since August 2020.

According to the press release, these bacteria most likely originate from wildlife sources and increased rainfall, waves or wildlife feeding near the surf (shorebirds, marine mammals or other warm blooded animals) can result in these indicator bacteria washing into the near shore waters.