STARKE, Fla. — A public health advisory has been issued for Ben T. Davis Beach due to high bacterial levels, the Hillsborough County Health Department said in a news release Thursday.
Samples taken showed high levels of enterococci bacteria at Ben T. Davis Beach off the Courtney Campbell Causeway. The advisory serves as a notice to beachgoers and swimming is not recommended. A re-sampling will take place next week.
"An advisory is issued when the beach action value is 70.5 or higher," health leaders explain in a release. "This is set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County has been conducting coastal beach water quality monitoring at nine sites once every two weeks since August 2000, and weekly since August 5, 2002, through the Healthy Beaches Monitoring Program."
Those interested in learning more can visit the Florida Department of Health's Beach Water Quality website. To review the beach water sampling results for reporting counties, click on the county name.
