PORT ANGELES — Public health authorities closed Hollywood Beach today for the third time this summer due to high bacterial concentrations.
Water sampling on Tuesday revealed the presence of fecal bacteria. Sampling will be conducted again Thursday.
Until safe results are announced, people should avoid swimming, wading or water play in which water could enter the mouth, nose or eyes, the Clallam County Health and Human Services said.
Contact with fecal-contaminated water can produce gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other ailments.
Hollywood Beach was closed early in August, just more than a month after it had been shut down for fecal bacteria-contaminated water over the Fourth of July weekend. Touch tanks at the Feiro Marine Life Center on City Pier also were closed.
Cline Spit, located on Dungeness Bay north of Sequim, was closed from Aug. 14-21 because of high levels of enterococcus bacteria.
Health officials said then they did not know the cause of the rise in bacterial levels at Hollywood Beach or Cline Spit.
For details, contact Clallam County Health and Human Services, Environmental Health Section at 360-417-2424.
