Published July 2 2013
In the interest of safety to swimmers, the City of Bellevue has closed the swimming area at Meydenbauer Beach Park, 419-98th Ave. NE, effective Tuesday. The closures are necessary due to high fecal bacteria levels in the water.
Though the swimming area is closed, the park area remains open. Signs will be posted near the swimming area throughout the closure.
This closure is precautionary due to unusually high bacteria levels, and the cause is being investigated. The city will continue to test and monitor the water and will reopen the area when the bacteria counts drop to a safe level. All other swim areas at Bellevue beaches have tested within normal ranges.
King County Water and Land Resources, in cooperation with local jurisdictions, routinely tests and monitors water quality at beaches on Lake Washington to ensure that they are safe for swimmers.
Swimming in areas with high bacteria can cause health concerns for some individuals. The Seattle-King County Public Health Department is responsible for determining the public health implications of bacteria monitoring results and under current regulations, local health officers determine whether a water body is polluted or not, on a case-by-case basis. For more information about lake bacteria, visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/waterandland/lakes/facts/bacteria.aspx.