Health officials issue no-swim advisories when tests indicate too much bacteria in the water.

Miami Herald file

If you were planning to swim near 53rd Street in Miami Beach, Florida health officials are encouraging you to go elsewhere until further notice because there’s too much feces in the water.

Two consecutive water samples collected at 5301 Collins Ave., including one on Monday, didn’t meet recommended state requirements, the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County said Wednesday in a news release.

The impacted area sits behind several condos, including The Perigon, La Costa, The Amethyst and Imperial House, as well as Fire Rescue Station 3 and The Alexander Hotel.

The poor water quality is due to high levels of the enterococci bacteria, an indicator of the presence of fecal material in water, the agency noted.

“The prevalence of enteric bacteria is an indicator of fecal pollution, which may come from storm water runoff, wildlife, pets and human sewage,” the agency said. “The result of the sampling indicates that water contact may pose an increased risk of illness, particularly for susceptible individuals.”

For more information, visit the Florida Healthy Beaches Program website at flhealth.gov.

This story was originally published January 25, 2023 9:28 PM.

Omar is a bilingual and bicultural journalist, covering breaking news in South Florida for the Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald. He has a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor’s degree in education from the Universidad de Puerto Rico en Río Piedras.

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