REHOBOTH BEACH - DNREC has issued a recreational swimming advisory for Rehoboth Beach at Rehoboth Avenue based on elevated levels of bacteria found in a sample taken Wednesday by the Department’s environmental scientists. 

The elevated levels of bacteria is most likely associated with rainfall that occurred on Tuesday night. These bacteria often originate from wildlife sources and increased rainfall, waves or wildlife feeding near the surf (shorebirds, marine mammals or other warm-blooded animals), which can result in these indicator bacteria washing into near-shore waters, DNREC officials said.

DNREC’s Recreational Water Program staff is collecting another water sample, with results from it available Friday afternoon, at which time a decision will be made to lift the current recreational swimming advisory or to extend it. Ocean beach swimming advisories usually can be ended after a day or so.

The city of Rehoboth Beach has been notified of the recreational advisory, and notice has gone out on DNREC's Recreational Water advisory notification listserv. 

Additional information on recreational swimming advisories and DNREC's water testing program, and instructions on how to join the advisory notification list, can be found at https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/watershed-stewardship/assessment/recreational-water-monitoring/