Politics & Government

Three Middletown Beaches Closed for High Bacteria Levels

After Peabody Beach was closed Thursday following heavy rains, the state Department of Health ordered two additional beaches in Middletown along with Easton's Beach in Newport to be closed on Friday.

The Rhode Island Department of Health on Friday added two more Middletown beaches to its list of statewide beach closings. The order followed heavy rains this week that flushed high levels of bacteria from stormwater drain pipes into the ocean.

Atlantic Beach and Third Beach in Middletown were recommended to be closed on Friday. On Thursday, the Department of Health ordered Peabody Beach to be closed.

On Friday, the Department of Health also ordered the closing of Easton's Beach in Newport, which abuts Atlantic Beach.

Find out what's happening in Middletownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The recommendation was made based on results from water samples that showed high bacteria levels, according to the Department of Health website. The health department will continue to monitor the water quality regularly to assure safe bathing throughout the summer season.

Atlantic Beach typically experiences the most closures following heavy rains each summer.

Find out what's happening in Middletownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

At the order of state and federal regulatory agencies, Middletown has been working on a major engineering project to improve the town's stormwater system to prevent such pollutants from entering Easton's Bay. The beginning stages of work has recently begun.

On Monday, the Town Council also approved an environmental study to similarly address stormwater and watershed quality issues as they relate to pollutants entering the Third Beach swim area, located in the cove on the north side of Sachuest Peninsula. Peabody's Beach is a semi-private beach that abuts the town-owned Third Beach to the north.

For more information

  • To check on the latest information regarding beach closings or advisories, call the Health Department Beach Hotline at 401-222-2751 or click here.
  • To read about the Middletown Town Council's recent decision to conduct a water quality and pollution study for that area, .


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