The Coastal Health District of Georgia serves the counties of Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long & McIntosh

The information on this page was current as of the posting date, and is being provided here for archive purposes.

News & Events


Beach Advisories Lifted for St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island Beaches

Update: September 11, 2020

The Glynn County Health Department has lifted the beach water advisories on St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island.

Advisories have been lifted for:

  • East Beach at the Old Coast Guard Station (Tenth Street to Driftwood Drive) on St. Simons Island,
  • Massengale Park Beach (Driftwood Drive to Cedar Street) on St. Simons Island, and
  • North Beach at Dexter Lane (Tallu Fish Lane to Brice Lane) on Jekyll Island.

The advisories were issued on September 9, 2020 after routine water quality tests showed a high level of enterococci bacteria which increase the risk of gastrointestinal illness in swimmers.

Subsequent water samples showed that the bacteria levels had dropped below Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended limits.


September 9, 2020

The Glynn County Health Department has issued beach water advisories for 2 beaches on St. Simons Island and 1 beach on Jekyll Island. The affected areas are:

  • East Beach at the Old Coast Guard Station (Tenth Street to Driftwood Drive) on St. Simons Island,
  • Massengale Park Beach (Driftwood Drive to Cedar Street) on St. Simons Island, and
  • North Beach at Dexter Lane (Tallu Fish Lane to Brice Lane) on Jekyll Island.
graphic showing the beach water advisory signs

The Department of Natural Resources – Coastal Resources Division tests water samples on Glynn County beaches throughout the year. The tests screen for enterococcus (pronounced: en·ter·o·coc·cus) bacteria, which are found in humans and some wildlife. The testing program is not related to the capsized motor vehicle carrier in St. Simons Sound.

When a beach is under advisory, it means the level of bacteria found in the water is above the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recommended standards. This does NOT mean the beach is closed.

These beach water advisories alert the public of a possible risk of illness associated with water contact in the advisory areas. The Health Department recommends you do not swim or wade in the water in the areas under advisory. Fish and other seafood caught from these areas should be thoroughly washed with fresh water and thoroughly cooked before eating, as should fish or seafood caught from any waters.

The areas will be re-tested this week, and the advisories will be lifted when the bacteria levels meet the EPA’s recommended standards. For more information, visit our Beach Water Testing page.

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