VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — UPDATE: The Virginia Beach Health Department lifted the swimming and wading advisory for the part of Sandbridge Beach between Bass Street and Chubb Lane Thursday.
Health officials retested the water and found that the bacteria level in the water was once again safe for swimming and wading.
The signs that had previously alerted people of the advisory have now been taken down.
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PREVIOUS STORY: The City of Virginia Beach issued a swimming advisory for a part of Sandbridge Beach Wednesday afternoon due to high bacteria levels.
The stretch of beach affected is between Bass Street and Chubb Lane, which is just south of the area entering Sandbridge. Swimming and wading in the water aren't allowed until further notice and signs will go on the beach to let people know.
In the meantime, Virginia Beach health officials will keep testing the water until the results meet the state water quality standards. When the sampling test results meet those standards, which is typically after a day, the signs will be removed from the beach.
Recreational waters are monitored every week for bacteria using indicator organisms such as enterococcus, which is used to determine if there's any fecal contamination.
While those organisms do not cause illness, scientific studies indicate they're closely correlated to other disease-causing organisms being present, which could cause gastrointestinal illness, as well as skin, eye and respiratory infections.
"As residents and visitors head to the beach, we encourage them to comply with this advisory for the sake of their health," Rob Robinson, the environmental health program manager with the Virginia Beach Department of Public Health, said in a news release. "These advisories are typically temporary and can be caused by any warm-blooded animal – from birds congregating on the beach to pet owners failing to clean up after their dog. The advisory will be withdrawn once the bacteria levels have returned to safe levels."