Don't swim at these 3 Miami-Dade beaches. What's in the water

The Florida Department of Health recommended swimmers avoid several Miami-Dade beaches after testing revealed elevated levels of bacteria in nearby waters.

At the time of last sampling on July 9, Bark Beach, Golden Beach and North Shore Ocean Terrace all received "poor" ratings for their levels of Enterococcus bacteria, according to the Florida Department of Health. The agency is "advising against" any "water-related activities" at all three beaches.

"Enterococci are bacteria that live in the intestinal tracts of warm-blooded animals, including humans, and therefore indicate possible contamination of surface waters by fecal waste," according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

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The results at Miami-Dade's beaches indicate that "contact with the water at this site may pose increased risk of infectious disease, particularly for susceptible individuals," reads FDOH's website.

There are also "natural, non-fecal sources of fecal indicator bacteria," according to the EPA, which include "plants, sand, soil and sediments." These contribute to a "background level in ambient waters and vary based on local environmental and meteorological conditions."

The advisory will remain in place until the bacteria levels drop below the "accepted health level," according to the FDOH.

Sarah Perkel is a South Florida Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network's Florida Connect team. You can get all of Florida's best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Don't swim at these 3 Miami-Dade beaches. What's in the water

Reporting by Sarah Perkel, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY

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