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Beachgoers are advised to avoid swimming at five different coastal Mississippi beaches due to high bacteria levels caused by recent heavy rains.
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) issued water contact advisories for Bay St. Louis Beach, Long Beach Beach, Gulfport West and Gulfport Harbor beaches and Biloxi East Central Beach.
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BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI – SEPTEMBER 14: Taylor Lavender and her dog, Bailey, enjoy the beach on September 14, 2020 in Biloxi, Mississippi.
(Joe Raedle / Getty Images)
The advisories were issued for the high presence of bacteria called enterococci, which can sicken swimmers if they come into contact with it.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, enterococci are bacteria that live in the intestinal tracts of warm-blooded animals, including humans, and are commonly found in fecal matter.
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When enterococci is found in lakes, rivers or ocean water, it can be caused by a number of factors, including stormwater runoff.
The Bay St. Louis Beach advisory is the most recent, issued on Thursday. Other advisories are several weeks, or even months, old. However, the most recent water sample taken at these beaches was on Thursday, which has led to the advisories to remain in place.
BAY ST. LOUIS, MISSISSIPPI – AUGUST 04: An aerial view of rebuilt homes along Bay St. Louis Beach, a city hard-hit by Hurricane Katrina, with the town of Waveland in the distance on August 04, 2025
(Mario Tama / Getty Images)
In past weeks, other beaches were put on advisories, but were lifted once bacteria levels were safe for contact.
While the beaches aren’t closed, MDEQ advised people that swimming and contact with the water could make them sick.
Kites flying over the man-made sand beach in Long Beach, Mississippi along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
(Ron Buskirk/UCG/Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
Once bacteria levels have returned to normal and are safe for human contact, all remaining advisories will be lifted, MDEQ said.
