Beach closures because of contamination prevent sunbathers from taking a dip to beat the heat

By The Associated Press

Many sunbathers who want to take a dip in the cool water to escape the summer heat are being thwarted by high bacteria levels on popular beaches across New England. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported that 78 public beaches were closed Wednesday, mostly because of high levels of bacteria. Nearly a dozen beaches and bodies of water in New Hampshire were also under some sort of advisory. In Maine, eight beaches were closed because of contamination. There was no swimming at 10 state parks in Vermont. Some of the high levels of bacteria in lakes and ponds can be linked to heavy rainfall that caused flooding and contamination.