What is the fecal bacteria enterococci and why does it impact beaches?
When bacteria such as enterococci come back at high levels, this prompts officials to advise against or close beaches to keep people safe.
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Heavy rains and flooding frequently cause bacteria found in fecal matter to surge to dangerous levels in local waters. Public health officials warn against swimming where the bacteria are found, as contact can make people sick.
These bacteria are called enterococci. It lives in the intestinal tracts of warm-blooded animals, including humans, and is commonly found in fecal matter, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
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Scanning electron micrograph of enterococci. (Lisac Mark, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / FOX Weather)
Enterococci can be found in wastewater treatment plant outflow, leaking septic systems, stormwater runoff, domestic animal and wildlife waste, improper land application of manure or sewage and runoff from manure storage areas, pastures, rangelands and feedlots, the EPA said.
There are also natural sources of enterococci that don't come from fecal material. Such sources include plants, sand, soil and sediments, the EPA said.
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When it rains a lot and flooding occurs, stormwater runoff happens.
Heavy rains flow down streets into Street Gutters and Storm Drains and eventually Ballona Creek, a nine-mile waterway that drains the Los Angeles basin. Urban runoff carries an assortment of trash and debris from catch basins where a network of pipes and open channels create a pathway to the Ocean at Santa Monica Bay. Culver City, Los Angeles, California, USA. Culver City, Los Angeles, California, USA (Planet/Education Images/Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
Stormwater runoff happens when rain and snowmelt flow over land or surfaces like concrete, pavement and building rooftops and doesn't soak into the ground.
"Runoff can pick up and deposit harmful pollutants like trash, chemicals and dirt/sediment into streams, lakes and groundwater," the EPA reported.
Stormwater runoff carries into whatever open source it can. Often times, this includes rivers, creeks and oceans.
LAGUNA BEACH, CA - NOVEMBER 29: Storm water runs into the ocean at Main Beach in Laguna Beach, CA on Thursday, November 29, 2018. (Paul Bersebach/Digital First Media/Orange County Register / Getty Images)
City officials do routine testing of water at public beaches to monitor bacteria levels to ensure people can enter the water safely.
When bacteria such as enterococci come back at high levels, this prompts officials to advise against or close beaches to keep people safe.
The EPA said the presence of enterococci isn't necessarily considered harmful to people, but the presence of them can mean that other disease-causing agents like viruses, bacteria and pathogens could be in the water.
Lynn, MA - July 8: Aerial shot of the water and pollution at King's Beach. King's is one of the most polluted and frequently closed in the Boston area and is currently closed due to the high levels of bacteria. (Kayla Bartkowski/The Boston Globe / Getty Images)
Coming into contact with these things can make people sick.
Stay up to date on the latest water conditions in your area by checking in on local government and beach pages, especially after a recent storm or flooding.