April 06, 2019 - 9:02 AM
KETCHIKAN, Alaska - Many beaches around Ketchikan have failed to meet Alaska water quality standards for recreation and consumption.
The Ketchikan Daily News reported on Friday that reports from beaches in the area over the last couple of years show the elevated presence of fecal coliform and enterococci bacteria.
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation monitored the water quality at 11 beaches around Ketchikan in 2017 and 13 beaches in 2018. A report on the findings was released on Feb. 12.
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Water officials say the causes of the elevated levels of bacteria are still being assessed and will be a part of a more comprehensive report from the department later this spring.
___
Information from: Ketchikan (Alaska) Daily News, http://www.ketchikandailynews.com
News from © The Associated Press, 2019