Polk Street Beach, the northernmost part of Tybee Island at the mouth of the Savannah River from the end of the beach to the jetty, has been placed under a swim advisory. The Chatham County Health Department recommends beachgoers do not swim or wade in the water in the area under advisory. Fish and other seafood caught from this area should be thoroughly washed with fresh water and thoroughly cooked before eating as should fish or seafood caught from any waters.
The area will be retested and the advisory will be lifted when tests show the bacteria levels meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended standards. The advisory is only for the area specified and not for the entire island.
The Health Department has lifted the swimming advisory for Strand Beach at the pier, from 11th Street to 18th Street on Tybee Island. That advisory was issued on July 16 after routine water quality tests showed a high level of enterococci bacteria which increase the risk of gastrointestinal illness in swimmers. Subsequent water samples taken showed that the bacteria levels had dropped below Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended limits.