Rockingham foreshore closed from Palm Beach to Hymus Street on Friday due to elevated bacteria levels

The City of Rockingham issued a health warning and closed part of the popular foreshore on Friday after high bacterial levels were found.

Beaches between Hymus Street and Palm Beach boat ramps were closed as a precaution.

Signs with the warning “This water may cause ill effects to humans and animals. No direct water contact activities” were placed at the beach entrances.

People are warned not to swim, jetski, windsurf or fish in the area.

In a post to social media, the City wrote it would reopen the beach once levels have returned to normal.

As part of the Department of Health’s bacterial monitoring program, each Perth metropolitan swimming beach is given a temporary grade.

The Hymus Street location currently has a fair grade and is safe for swimming “most of the time”.

A fair grade indicates that elevated bacterial levels can sometimes make the area unsuitable for swimming.

“Elevated bacterial levels are likely due to animal pollutant sources e.g. bird faeces, and from contaminants flushing into the water following rainfall,” the Department of Health website reads.

Last week the ABC Perth named Rockingham Foreshore Perth’s best beach from a list of five.

The City of Rockingham has been contacted for more details.

It comes hours after a South West shire raised alarm bells as tests indicate a potentially deadly brain-eating amoeba is lurking in a popular swimming spot.

The Shire of Waroona is urging the public to avoid swimming in Drakesbrook Weir at the weekend. Routine water tests have detected the potential presence of a deadly amoeba.

The presence of Naegleria amoeba was detected on Friday, and the shire is now awaiting results to rule out the presence of Naegleria fowleri in the water.

Naegleria fowleri is a deadly amoeba that is able to enter the brain through water thrust up the nose, causing the fatal disease amoebic meningitis.

The shire has issued warning signs around the weir and strongly suggests avoiding swimming in the water.

This is the third time this year that the weir has been closed due to the risk, with alarm bells ringing in January and February.