Swimming advisory lifted for Midtown Beach in Palm Beach

The water quality at Midtown Beach has improved and a swimming advisory has been lifted, Palm Beach said Thursday.

The Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County and town officials on Tuesday issued a swimming advisory for the beach after a routine water-quality sample taken there on Monday returned with high levels of the enterococcus bacteria.

That bacteria can be found in the intestines of humans and some animals. It is a sign that the water has been polluted by feces, possibly from storm runoff, pets or wildlife or the presence of sewage, officials said.

The sample taken at Midtown Beach on Monday had 175 parts per 100 milliliters of water of the bacteria, the town said Thursday. A follow-up sample taken Wednesday had a good water quality, meaning it has 35 or fewer parts per 100 of the bacteria, Palm Beach said.

The advisory did not ban people from going into the water but did urge caution, and people who came into contact with the water were encouraged to shower immediately, according to the health department.

For more information, call Palm Beach Fire Rescue at 561-838-5420.

For questions about beach water quality monitoring in Florida, call the Florida Department of Health at 561-274-3187 or 561-837-5988, or go to www.doh.state.fl.us.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Swimming advisory lifted for Midtown Beach in Palm Beach