May 20, 2005 Beach Water Quality Advisories Lifted At Martin, Holly BeachesAdvisories for Hackberry, Rutherford and a section of Holly Beach remain in effect

BATON ROUGE, May 20, 2005 - The swim advisories issued for the water at Martin Beach and sections at Holly Beach have been lifted. The advisories were issued because high levels of potentially unsafe bacteria were found in the water at these locations. However, water samples tested during the past seven days show the water is now acceptable for swimming.

Beach facilities were never closed as a result of these advisories because conditions were acceptable for land-based or boating and fishing activities.

The swim advisories issued for Hackberry, Rutherford and one section of Holly Beach remain in effect until samples show water bacteria levels are acceptably lowered.

The Louisiana BEACH Monitoring Program is a partnership between the Department of Health and Hospitals, the Department of Environmental Quality and the Louisiana Office of State Parks. Cameron Parish Police Jury, The Town of Grand Isle and Lafourche Parish Police Jury are partners in this project and are responsible for displaying, maintaining and removing swim advisory signs at area beaches.

The program monitors bacteria levels of water at 13 locations throughout the state from May through October. For more information on the program or to check the status of monitoring at the different locations, please visit www.oph.dhh.louisiana.gov/sanitarianservices/beachmonitor/index.html.