Mississippi Has Some Of The Dirtiest Beaches In The Nation Due To Fecal Bacteria
Mississippi’s beaches aren’t exactly known for having the cleanest water. However, you may be surprised to learn just how unclean the water actually is. Even worse, is what it’s contaminated with. Take a look:
We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
Back in July, all the beaches along the Gulf Coast were closed because of harmful algal blooms. As of last week, 25 beaches are still closed and Mississippi officials continue to issue "water contact" warnings.
But the algae isn’t the only reason water contact warnings are issued. At times, the advisories are issued because of Enterococcus, which are bacteria that indicate fecal presence. (Yuck!)
However, some beaches fare worse than others. According to a 2019 report by Environment America and the Frontier Group, the sandy beaches of the West Coast, the Great Lakes, and here on the Gulf Coast had higher than the national average number of days in 2018 when test results showed high bacteria levels.
According to one report, among the worst were Mississippi, Illinois, and Louisiana — where each beach tested turned up positive harmful bacteria on at least one day of the year.
To be more specific, in Mississippi, all of the 21 beach sites tested turned up with bacteria levels that were deemed unsafe. (You can see the full report here. The results for Mississippi are found on page 25.)
So, how much bacteria must be present for the water to be rated "unsafe." Standards set by the U.S. EPA say that a beach must have enough of the bacteria to sicken 32 per 1,000 swimmers.
Wondering how the bacteria get into the water? Well, there are several ways. But two of the most common are overflows from sewage treatment plants or runoff during a heavy rain storm.
Remember, whenever Mississippi's beaches are closed - whether it be because of algae or fecal bacteria - you can still visit and enjoy on-land activities, like sunbathing and volleyball.
So, did you know what was lurking in the beach water? Does it affect the chances of you visiting the beach? Or, do you already avoid the beaches on the Gulf Coast? Tell us in the comments section.
The beaches may be closed but there are plenty of other places to cool off. Read about a few of them here.
Though Daniella was born in New York and has lived in a couple of other states, Mississippi has been her home for the past 25 years. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Daniella began to hone her writing skills through various internships, working for The Royal Obsession and Anatomie clothing. In the years since, she’s had the privilege of having her articles appear in several publications, such as Parents & Kids Magazine and Girl Meets Strong. She’s also had the honor of interviewing actress Sela Ward for The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience.
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