Myrtle Beach water advisory policy change aimed at helping tourism

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Channel 11 and its sister-station WSOC-TV in Charlotte have reported on several water advisories at Myrtle Beach this summer, and now the city has changed its policy in an effort to not scare off tourists.

[Link: South Carolina beach access and water quality guide]

On Tuesday, Myrtle Beach city leaders met with the Department of Health and Environmental Control. They decided to make advisories clearer by labeling them short-term and providing explanations for how small an area is affected.

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“If there is an elevated bacteria level, which is usually from wildlife, or from pet waste, then we'll report that,” said Mark Kruea, spokesman for the city.

Officials said visitors will see more advisories this year because of a change in protocol. In the past, crews would perform a retest if there was a high bacteria level, but that test is no longer required.

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