On July 30, 2010, the Anne Arundel County Department of Health issued an advisory to avoid swimming, water skiing and other direct water contact at Rockwood Beach in Pasadena due to consistently high bacterial levels found in water samples. The beach, located on Rock Creek, was tested regularly during the summer as part of the Department's recreational water quality sampling program.

The Department continues to sample Rockwood Beach weekly, and the advisory will be lifted once two consecutive samplings show bacteria levels meet standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Maryland Department of the Environment. The Department advises people who come in contact with the affected water to wash well with soap and warm water immediately. Clothing should also be washed.

Many factors, such as waterfowl, rainfall, water temperature and tidal action, can cause high bacteria readings.

For more information on the status of the advisory, visit this website or call the Water Quality Line, 410-222- 7999.

Subscribers to the Department's Recreational Water Quality E-mail Alerts will receive e-mail notifying them when the advisory has been lifted. Click here to become a subscriber.

Follow the Department of Health on Twitter and receive Recreational Water Quality Alerts via text messages on cell phones and PDAs.