PORT ANGELES — High levels of bacteria have closed Hollywood Beach again, just a month after it was closed over the Fourth of July weekend.
Sue Waldrip, Clallam County Environmental Health division specialist, said testing Thursday morning revealed the possible presence of human fecal matter.
The Clallam County Health and Human Services Department says people should not swim or wade in the water or get it into their mouths, noses or eyes.
Iva Burks, Health and Human Services director, said samples had revealed 481 enterococcus bacteria per 100 milliliters of water at one site, 341 at another and 218 at a third.
Andy Brastad, environmental health division director, pegged the standard for reopening the beach at 104 bacteria per 100 milliliters of water.
Enterococcus usually is found in human feces. Contact with it — especially through an opening in the skin, such as a cut — can cause skin rashes, gastroenteritis and upper respiratory infections.
Swimming in water with high levels of enterococcus also increases chances of contracting diarrhea or vomiting if infected water is swallowed.
Melissa Williams, director of the Feiro Marine Life Center on Port Angeles City Pier, said it would shut its touch tanks as it did during the last outbreak. The center draws water from Port Angeles Harbor.
When the beach was closed July 2-7, one group of people canceled its visit to the center, as did a birthday party that had been booked there.
Williams said Feiro lost about $500 over the holiday weekend.
As with last month’s closure, Waldrip said, the source of the enterococcus bacteria was an enigma but was thought to be human in origin.
The absence of heavy rainfall that causes combined sanitary and storm sewers to overflow into Port Angeles Harbor deepened the mystery.
Craig Fulton, Port Angeles public works and utilities director, said he had no explanation.
In answer to a question, he said he could not connect the high readings with construction of a new sewage pump station and sewer lines along Front Street nearby. The new station and sewers are being built to eliminate the sewage overflows.
“We have no leads on what caused this,” Fulton said.
“We are looking into anything that occurred along Peabody Creek, which releases into the harbor/Hollywood Beach vicinity, but so far, there are no solid leads yet.”
Health specialists will test the water again at 10:30 a.m. today. If bacteria levels are acceptable, the beach will be reopened.
If they are not, it will be Monday before the water can be tested again, and the beach will remain closed through the weekend.
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Reporter James Casey can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jcasey@peninsuladailynews.com.