If Harbor Towne Park Beach in Muskegon was on your list of plans for this weekend, you might want to press pause before diving in.

On Wednesday, the Muskegon County Parks and Recreation Department issued a high E. coli advisory for the beach, warning that recent water testing revealed bacteria levels above the safe threshold for swimming.

Why it matters:

Swimming in water with elevated E. coli levels isn’t just gross, it can be also be dangerous. E. coli is a type of bacteria that lives in the intestines of humans and animals, and high levels in lakes or rivers usually mean the water has been contaminated by fecal matter.

Exposure to this kind of contamination can lead to serious illness. Health experts say swimming in contaminated water can cause symptoms like:

• Stomach cramps
• Diarrhea (sometimes severe or bloody)
• Vomiting
• Skin infections
• Eye or ear infections

It’s especially risky for young children, pregnant individuals, and anyone with a weakened immune system to come in contact with E. Coli. So, it's even more important that they stay away from the water (for now)

Don't Swim in lake, don't swim, not safe, lake, beach
Laura Hardy
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The advisory doesn’t mean the beach is entirely closed. You can still enjoy activities like walking, picnicking, or playing on the sand. But for now, wading into the water isn’t worth the risk.

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Muskegon County officials say they’ll continue to monitor the water and will alert the public when it’s safe to swim again. In the meantime, if you’re planning to head to any Michigan beach, you can check the latest water quality reports using their handy mapper tool.

Better safe than sorry, stick to dry land if you’re visiting this park until further notice.

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