Are lakes in Burlington County, NJ safe for swimming?

A new online dashboard listing the results of fecal coliform bacteria tests at recreational lakes has been created by the Burlington County Health Department.

The Public Recreational Bathing Water Testing Dashboard was launched this month on the county health department’s website.

It lists the most recent test results for E. coli bacteria, one of the most common forms of fecal coliform bacteria and one of the best indicators of a health risk from water contact in lakes, freshwater rivers, and streams.

The testing, which is required by state law, is used to determine the water quality and risk of illness from swimming.

The dashboard lists the date of each test, lake name, municipality, and result. If a first test exceeds the predetermined limit, the late is retested. If the second test comes back above the limit again, the lake is closed for swimming until the count returns to an acceptable level.

Concentrations of geese, gull, ducks, fish and other wildlife can easily impact fecal coliform levels in a body of water. Therefore, residents are advised to not feed the animals.

“Swimming is a fun activity for all ages and Burlington County is home to dozens of outstanding recreational swimming beaches. We want residents to enjoy these lakes to the fullest extent, but we also want to make sure these waterbodies remain safe and that there’s little risk for bacteria-borne illnesses,” said Dr. Herb Conaway, director of the Burlington County Health Department, and a state assemblyman.

Currently, no Burlington County lakes are closed, according to the dashboard.

Jen Ursillo is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at jennifer.ursillo@townsquaremedia.com

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.