Two Westchester County beaches have been closed after heavy rains contaminated the water.
Chris Erickson, deputy director of the Westchester County Health Department, said high levels of the bacteria were tested on June 24 at Croton Point Beach in Croton-on-Hudson and Phillips Manor Beach in Sleepy Hollow after severe storms this week sent contaminated water onto the shore.
He said local beaches, particularly those along the Hudson River, tend to have higher than normal levels of naturally occurring bacteria and may be unsafe for swimming after periods of heavy rain or high winds.
“Beach bacteria counts are usually higher when there’s a lot of rain and water is running off land, parking lots, drains and so on,” he says, “but when the wind comes in and stirs up the water a little bit, the waves get a little bigger.”
Erickson said the county health department tests beaches once a week and will retest more frequently if there are any positive results, and that additional samples will be taken Friday afternoon to determine whether the two beaches will reopen for the weekend.
The Health Ministry said beaches will be closed over the weekend and until further notice if bacteria remains in the water.