OLCOTT, N.Y. (WKBW) — Wednesday was a beautiful day along the Lake Ontario shoreline. The quaint beach community of Olcott, New York was a buzz with warm weather activities but for the first time this summer swimming at Olcott Beach is not an option.
The Niagara County Department of Health has issued a beach advisory for Olcott Beach and has determined that the water there is not suitable for swimming because of unsatisfactory bacteriological water quality.
The Niagara County Department of Health will continue to monitor the situation and will reopen the beach for swimming when conditions return to a safe level.
"It's unfortunate, we'd love to have the beach open all the time," says Karen Young, Owner of "Gift Box at the Beach", which is only steps away from Olcott Beach. Young added that she doesn't believe that the swimming advisory will have any impact on area businesses, "In general, not a whole lot. This weekend is 'Pirates Festival'. I think everyone will come down to the parade, the car show, the rides, the fried dough and the ice cream. I don't think it will have any impact this weekend."
High levels of bacteria are often found following heavy rainfall that overwhelm treatment plants and our sewer system.
"If there is too much it is designed to outfall into our waterways," said Elizabeth Cute, a program manager at Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper. The organization also put out an alert earlier this week concerning high levels of bacteria in Cazenovia Creek in South Buffalo.
"Cazenovia Creek has several combined sewer locations," said Cute, "during the heavy rains we had recently the models were showing a lot of storm water and waste water combined being outfalled into our water."
The Buffalo Sewer Authority reported an estimated 46 million gallons of untreated sewage being discharged into local waterways earlier this week including Cazenovia Creek. Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper is just asking people to consider avoiding the creek until the high levels of bacteria flush out.
"Bacteria can make people sick, especially if you swallow water with a high level of bacteria. Or if you have cuts on your hands or your feet, getting in and out of the water, or things like that, you can get infected," said Cute.
The movement in most waterways usually decreases the levels of bacteria after a few days. Until then, practice caution.
"If you are really set on paddling, wash your hands when you are done," said Cute, "don't flip in the water for fun because that water might not be the safest for those activities."
