Connecticut beaches stay closed after heavy rain pushed bacteria above safe levels

Closures remain in place

Several Connecticut beaches remained closed for swimming on Thursday, July 9, after heavy rain earlier in the week pushed bacteria levels above safe limits.

CT Insider reported that the closures affected several state-managed swimming areas, including Rocky Neck State Park, Sherwood Island State Park, Silver Sands State Park, Chatfield Hollow State Park and Wharton Brook State Park. Harvey's Beach in Old Saybrook and the Clinton town beach were also closed, according to the Connecticut River Area Health District.

Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison was the only shoreline state park still open for swimming Thursday morning, CT Insider reported.

Retesting underway

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection was retesting water at the closed state-managed beaches and expected results Thursday afternoon. Local health officials said the municipal beaches in Old Saybrook and Clinton had also been retested, with results expected Thursday or Friday.

The closures followed rainfall of up to four inches in parts of Connecticut earlier in the week. Officials and reporting described the likely mechanism as storm runoff carrying bacteria and other pollutants into swimming areas after heavy rain.

Why it matters

The closures come during peak summer beach season, when contaminated water can raise health risks for swimmers and force popular shoreline and inland recreation areas to remain off limits.

The reporting also points to older combined sewer overflow systems as one reason heavy rain can worsen water quality in parts of the state.

Officials are expected to reopen beaches if subsequent testing shows bacteria levels have returned to safe limits, but that timing depends on Thursday's and Friday's sample results.