UPDATE: Rehoboth Beach swimming advisory lifted

State officials have lifted a swimming advisory issued for Rehoboth Beach at Rehoboth Avenue.

Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control officials sent a recreational water advisory alert Aug. 24, stating wildlife is likely the cause of elevated bacterial counts in samples taken at Rehoboth Avenue, since no heavy rain has occurred since the last sample at the site was taken Aug. 21.

Additional water quality samples have been taken, and the advisory was lifted after bacteria levels dropped by the afternoon of Aug. 25.

Droppings left by shorebirds contain the same fecal-indicator bacteria, enterococcus bacteria, used to test recreational water quality. The indicator bacteria signal the presence of potentially harmful bacteria and viruses, found in the gut of shorebirds, mammals and people, that can cause digestive illness in people with immunodeficiencies and those who ingest too much bacteria.

For more information, go to http://apps.dnrec.state.de.us/RecWater.