UPDATE: Water advisory lifted at Slaughter Beach

State officials have lifted a water advisory for Slaughter Beach that had been issued after elevated levels of bacteria were found at a sampling site.

Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control officials sent an alert May 19 regarding swimming at Slaughter Beach, citing numerous seagulls at the time of sampling and rainfall as potential reasons for high bacteria levels. The department issued a recreational water advisory, adding that rainfall may cause higher levels of bacteria in natural waterways because of runoff.

The advisory was lifted May 20.

Town Mayor Bill Krause said natural occurrences, such as silt and runoff washing down the Mispillion River and depositing into the Delaware Bay just north of Slaughter Beach, can contribute to the bacteria levels. He said there is a lag between water sampling and test results, and that often the tides clear out the bacteria levels before a new advisory updating swimming conditions is issued.

“Overall, you should respect it, but don't be alarmed by it,” Krause said.