No-swim advisories issued at beaches.

Health officials worry about hurricane’s effects on water quality

Crews from the Department of Health have fanned along Florida’s coast to test the water quality at public beaches after Hurricane Dorian — fearing sewage or other waste may have seeped into the ocean.

Concern about potential effects of the hurricane on water quality led several counties to issue “no swimming” advisories for their beaches until the results are ready. The health departments within each county are testing beach samples for feces and high levels of bacteria.

In St. Lucie County, the health department warned contact with the ocean water at this time may pose an increased risk of disease or illness. Brevard County also has issued a county-wide precautionary swim advisory for all public beaches and recommended against swimming.

“Until test results are available, you should assume that water contact may pose an increased risk of disease or illness, particularly for susceptible individuals,”

Brevard also said residents should avoid contact with floodwaters which come from an overflow of any water body from rivers, lakes, or oceans. “Floodwater may contain fecal matter from sewage systems, agricultural and industrial waste, and septic tanks,” a press release said.

Miami-Dade, Broward and Martin counties confirmed that water samples were collected, with results expected by early tomorrow. Palm Beach County Department of Health is closed Wednesday.

Prior to the threat of Dorian, The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County issued a swimming advisory for six of its beaches from Key Biscayne to Miami Beach and Surfside following a sewage spill. Those beaches are being tested again. Water samples near the pier in Pompano Beach also tested poor in recent weeks and some beachgoers reported smelling sewage.