x
Breaking News
More () »

Juanita Beach swimming area closed due to high bacteria levels

King County implemented a new bacteria testing protocol which means beaches may have more frequents closures and faster reopenings.

SEATTLE — If you've ever known a toddler, then you're aware they can't stay still for very long. 

"We were looking forward to hanging out in the water today and now we can't," said Kape Cosmos, who came to Juanita Beach Park with her her 2-year-old son.

Cosmos drove 30 minutes to Juanita Beach Park only to see a sign reading "Beach Closed."

"It's sad," Cosmos said. "So we have to figure out where we're going to go after this and it's supposed to get really hot."

Swimming is not allowed at the beach because of high bacteria counts found in the water on Monday by an employee taking samples.

"We're talking about E. coli, which is part of poop," said Beth LeDoux with the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks. 

King County measures levels weekly.

"So we know that pollution is going to be part of our summer, we also know that we're being attentive," LeDoux said.

There is a way to help keep the water waste free. LeDoux said people shouldn't feed wildlife and put good swim diapers on babies. 

Results from the bacteria test should be released within a few days. There is a new map people can look at that tracks bacteria levels for every King County lake beach. You can find the map here.

Download our free KING 5 app to stay up-to-date on news stories from across western Washington.

For a daily roundup of everything you need to know for across western Washingtonsign up for our 5 Things to Know email newsletter.

Before You Leave, Check This Out