Ogunquit News
High bacteria counts bring caution signs to several Ogunquit beaches
By C. Ayn Douglass
OGUNQUIT - Neither Mike Horn of the Conservation Commission nor Ogunquit Town Manager Phil Clark ever remember it happening before.On Saturday, July 15, during a heat wave that brought thousands to Ogunquit, beaches were posted with cautionary signs advising swimmers to be aware that water quality was less than satisfactory for swimming.
Both Horn and Clark have been in Ogunquit for decades and said this was a first - and not a pleasant one.
Clark said five sites along the Ogunquit coastline are tested every Wednesday and elevated levels of enterococci bacteria were found at the main beach, at the mouth of the Ogunquit River and at Ontio Beach.
Enterococci are bacteria that cause flu-like symptoms when an individual is exposed.
Samples taken Wednesday, July 12, in Ogunquit indicated a level of 20 parts per million at Moody Beach, 86 ppm at Footbridge Beach, 315 ppm at the main beach, 1,354 ppm at the mouth of the river and 231 ppm at Ontio (Little Beach).
Follow-up testing on Thursday, July 13, indicated the main beach level had dropped to 233 ppm, and the mouth of the river had dropped to 728 ppm, but Little Beach had risen to 520 ppm.
None of these levels fall into what is considered safe.
"The breakpoint is 104 parts per million," Clark said. "By Saturday's tests, which we got the results of on Sunday, the levels were fine and today (Monday) they're well under 100."
The spike in the numbers from the testing results in Ogunquit, particularly at the mouth of the river and at Little Beach, was presumed to be a result of heavy rains over a three-day period. Clark said animal fecal material that washed into the streams that ultimately feed into the Ogunquit River during the rainy period was the suspected cause of the rise in the count.
"It takes a couple of tides to (neutralize) the effects," he said.
Signs were posted on Little Beach on Saturday advising people not to participate in water-related activities, but after the test results were in on Sunday, the signs were removed.
Both Ogunquit and York are among many coastal communities participating in the Maine Shore Stewards Program.
Ogunquit is one of several beach communities from Kennebunk to Rye Beach, N.H., that were posted either with caution signs or closed signs over the weekend.
York's most recent test results, performed at several sites along Long Sands, Short Sands, Harbor Beach and Cape Neddick Beach, were all under the 104 ppm level as of July 12.
Testing will continue today, Wednesday, July 19, in both towns.
