Miami-Dade County

Celebrating Fourth of July on a South Florida beach? Avoid these areas, health officials warn

FILE - Beachgoers enjoyed the sunny and hot day during Memorial Day on Monday, May 27, 2024 in Sunny Isles Beach.
FILE - Beachgoers enjoyed the sunny and hot day during Memorial Day on Monday, May 27, 2024 in Sunny Isles Beach. askowronski@miamiherald.com

Do you plan on heading to the beach this Fourth of July weekend? If so, the Florida Department of Health is warning the public about unsafe water quality at three South Florida beaches.

The advisory was issued Wednesday after regular testing found that the water harbored too much bacteria. The samples indicated that the bacteria levels exceeded state guidelines.

“DOH-Miami-Dade advises against any water-related activities... due to an increase risk of illness in swimmers,” the warning says.

The beaches the health department recommends avoiding are:

Oleta River State Park in North Miami Beach

Surfside Beach at 93rd Street

Collins Park at 21st St. in Miami Beach

If you need more information, you can call the the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade at 305-324-2400. You can also check water quality test results on the health department’s website.

This story was originally published July 4, 2024 at 7:00 AM.

Grethel Aguila
Miami Herald
Grethel covers courts and the criminal justice system for the Miami Herald. She graduated from the University of Florida (Go Gators!), speaks Spanish and Arabic and loves animals, traveling, basketball and good storytelling. Grethel also attends law school part time.
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