SOUTHPORT, NC — State water quality officials have issued swimming advisories for two sound-side locations in Brunswick County after routine testing revealed bacteria counts exceeding state and federal limits.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Recreational Water Quality Program posted the advisories affecting specific public access points within the city limits of Southport.
The impacted areas include:
- Cottage Creek: The public kayak launch located at the end of W. West Street.
- The Cape Fear River: The public beach area adjacent to the municipal pier at the end of South Davis Street.
Water samples collected from both sites indicated enterococci bacteria levels surpassing the state and federal action level of 104 per 100 milliliters for Tier 2 non-daily use sites.
State health officials warn that swimming or playing in waters exceeding the safety threshold carries an increased risk of contracting gastrointestinal illnesses or skin infections.
Officials emphasize that these alerts do not amount to full beach closures, nor do they apply broadly to the entire Southport waterfront.
DEQ monitoring staff will continue sampling the affected waters. The advisory will be lifted, and the public notified, once test results confirm that bacteria concentrations have returned to acceptable state and federal standards.
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