Your Guide to Safe Swimming in Louisiana: Sewage Bacteria Prompts Safety Concerns

Spring-time in Louisiana is here. Temps are warming and so are summer vacation plans. And, one popular summer activity is hitting the beach for some fun in the sun. However, before you book that beach house, you might want to learn a bit more about the water quality in Louisiana.

Because, as fun as a day in the sun sounds, there's some real concerns and you need to think about first. And, no, I'm not talking about Jaws. I'm talking about bacteria and pollution - specifically bacteria caused by poop water.

The Reality of Louisiana Beach Water

Look, I don't want to alarm anyone, but this is information you probably should at least be aware of before hitting the beach. LDH regularly tests the 23 state beaches around the state. As part to the federally mandated Clean Water Act, LDH regularly tests for enterococci bacteria. Now, you be wondering....what the heck is that?

Here's the definition from LDH's website -"These bacteria represent those commonly found in sewage pollution". In short, poop contaminated water.

And sewage contaminated water can post a LOT of health risks - including certain diseases, rashes and infections. In short, it cause health issues ranging from minor annoyance to semi-serious.

And during last year's testing period (which runs from May to October), LDH had active advisories on 7 of 23 Louisiana beaches.

Protecting Yourself and Your Family

I don't want to tell you NOT to go to the beach. A day at the beach is supposed to be fun. But to stay safe and try to avoid any potential health risks there are some practical things you can do to protect yourself.

The first line of defense, check LDH's Beach Monitoring regularly. Between May & October, LDH checks the water quality weekly and posts their findings. So, knowing whether or not a beach your planning to visit has tested positive for bacteria is a big first step.

Whether a beach has tested positive or not, there are some other practical things you can do to try and stay healthy:

• Avoid swimming after it rains.
• Wash/disinfect your hands frequently to try and kill the bacteria before it gets in your system.
• After a day at the beach, you might want to take a long, hot shower to wash to wash potential stink and bacteria off you.

Understanding Sewage Pollution at Louisiana Beaches

The short answer: Poop gets into the water from dozens of ways. Runoff from the streets, pet waste, run off from farms, sewage overflows and a whole lot more contribute to the problem.

READ MORE: Check Out This Secret Louisiana Beach

Same with storms and heavy rains - they cause drainage systems to overflow and all that nastiness ends up up in places where it could make you ill.