Lake Charles South Beach

Source Information

The Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals Beach Monitoring Program analyzes beach water for enterococci and fecal coliform bacteria from April to September. These bacteria represent those commonly found in sewage pollution, and which could cause disease, infections or rashes. If bacteria levels are detected, DHH issues an advisory, and swim advisory signs posted near the shoreline are opened to advise beachgoers to refrain from swimming until bacteria levels are in compliance with federal guidelines. Samples are collected weekly on Mondays & Tuesdays and results are available Wednesday & Thursday from May 1st through October 31st. Swim Guide checks the website daily from Monday - Friday during the monitoring season. A beach is marked Green when the single sample results show Enterococci counts below 104 cfu / 100ml of water or when the geometric mean of 5 samples are fewer than 35 MPN (Most Probable Number) colonies of Enterococci per 100 ml of water and when the geometric mean of fecal coliform is under 200 mpn / 100 ml for samples taken over a 30 day period. A beach is marked Red when single sample results show Enterococci counts above 104 cfu/ 100 ml of water or when the geometric mean of 5 samples is greater than 35 MPN of Enterococci / 100 ml of water. Beaches are also marked Red when the geometric mean of fecal coliform is over 200 mpn / 100 ml for samples taken over a 30 day period. A beach is marked Grey when there is no current or reliable monitoring information available.