UPDATE: Health Advisory Issued for Spanish River Beach After Elevated Bacteria Found

UPDATE

The “NO SWIM” Advisory has been lifted.

Originally reported by Boca Post

BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2025) — The Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County has issued a No Swim advisory for Spanish River Beach after recent testing showed elevated bacterial levels in the water.

The authorities have issued a warning for people to stay away from swimming at the beach until they complete their testing procedures. The park and beach will remain open, but contact with ocean water is strongly discouraged.

The advisory emerged from regular water quality testing which the state performs through its Healthy Beaches monitoring program. The Florida Department of Health reports that bacteria levels become elevated because of heavy rainfall and stormwater runoff and wildlife presence in the area.

Spanish River Beach, located within the Boca Raton city limits but operated by Palm Beach County, is a popular site for both residents and visitors. The health department plans to obtain new water samples in the near future because they predict water quality will reach safe levels between 24 to 48 hours.

The advisory prevents people from entering the park but it does not shut down the entire park facility. County officials advise people to avoid water activities until testing shows the water meets safety standards. Signs have been posted on-site notifying the public of the No Swim advisory.

The department will monitor current situations while releasing public information about test results that become available. Updates can be found on the Florida Healthy Beaches website
or through Palm Beach County’s official channels.

Health officials currently advise people to stay out of the water during advisory periods because water entry during this time raises the chances of getting sick particularly for children under six and elderly people and people with compromised immune systems.

The county will remove the advisory when bacteria levels become safe for consumption and water quality meets all state health standards.