On October 5, 2021, Jefferson County Public Health issued a no-contact advisory at North Beach County Park due to an intermittent leak of treated sewage at North Beach near the border between North Beach County Park and Fort Worden State Park. The outfall of the wastewater treatment plant has broken where it crosses the beach enroute to the normal discharge location in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Repairs are underway by Port Townsend Public Works. The public is advised to avoid the area until the repairs are completed. Signs are posted at public access points.
Contact with fecal-contaminated waters can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections, and other illnesses. Children and those who are immunocompromised may be more vulnerable to waterborne illnesses. We recommend showering after water contact and washing hands before eating if you’ve been in contact with the water or sand.
Stay updated on water quality at local beaches by checking the BEACH Program swimming map, following our Fecal Matters blog posts, connecting on Facebook, or joining our listserv.
Local health departments issue water contact advisories or closures at swimming beaches. The Washington BEACH Program communicates the risk to the public.
For more information
Laura Hermanson, our BEACH program manager, is available at 360-480-4868
or laura.hermanson@ecy.wa.gov for questions or contact the local health department. For media inquiries contact Jimmy Norris in communications at 360-480-5722.