Last week, the Tybee City Council and the Glynn County Board of Commissioners closed beaches due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of these closures, the Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources is temporarily suspending beach water quality testing.

The water quality testing, which tests for the bacteria enterococcus, will resume after individual municipalities re-open their beaches. The Department of Natural Resources works with local governments, which have the authority to close or reopen beaches.

Enterococcus is a bacteria that lives in the guts of warm-blooded animals, including humans, raccoons, birds and domestic animals. It can indicate the presence of other bacteria that can be harmful to humans.

Anyone with question may contact CRD’s communications specialist, Tyler Jones, at 912-230-9709 or tyler.jones@dnr.ga.gov. Visit CoastalGaDNR.org/HealthyBeaches for more information.