Orange Beach, Ala. — (GSN) — Following recent water quality evaluations, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) has issued a public swimming advisory for the waters at Perdido Bay at Kee Avenue.

According to officials, two successive tests indicated poor water quality, revealing enterococci bacteria counts that exceed the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) safe threshold of 104 organisms per 100 milliliters for marine water. Public health officials warn that swimming in these affected waters may carry an increased risk of illness.

In addition to the formal advisory at Perdido Bay, recent testing also revealed "raised levels" of Enterococci bacteria at Orange Beach Waterfront Park. While high bacterial concentrations can occur due to stormwater runoff, malfunctioning septic systems, or agricultural runoff after heavy rains, authorities noted that no known sewage spills have occurred in the area.

This routine monitoring is part of a dedicated bacteriological water quality and notification program operated by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) in partnership with the ADPH. Funded under a grant from the EPA’s BEACH Act Program, the initiative conducts regular testing across 25 high-use coastal recreational sites to ensure public safety.

ADEM offers this vital testing service to monitor environmental health, and the results are consistently made available to the public. Water quality monitoring at the affected locations will remain ongoing. The advisory for Perdido Bay will be officially lifted once bacteria values drop back below the established EPA safety threshold.

For real-time updates on coastal water quality and advisory statuses, residents and visitors can access public data directly through ADEM’s official beach monitoring portal.