The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) has recommended reopening Sandy Point Beach in Portsmouth and Hazard’s Beach in Newport for swimming. The beaches have been closed because of high bacteria counts.
RIDOH had recommended reopening Third Beach and Peabody’s Beach in Middletown, Conimicut Point Beach in Warwick, and Warren Town Beach for swimming on Thursday, July 27th. The beaches have been closed because of high bacteria counts.
RIDOH recommended on Wednesday, July 26th the closing of Hazards Beach in Newport, Plum Beach in North Kingstown, and Sandy Point Beach in Portsmouth for swimming because of high bacteria counts.

On Tuesday, RIDOH recommended the closing of Oakland and Conimicut Point Beaches in Warwick, Third Beach and Peabody’s Beach in Middletown, and Barrington and Warren Town Beaches for swimming because of high bacteria counts.

RIDOH recommended reopening Barrington Town Beach for swimming on Wednesday.

Oakland and Conimicut Point Beaches in Warwick, Third Beach and Peabody’s Beach in Middletown, and Warren Town Beach remain closed.

When a beach closure is recommended, water quality analysis is conducted by RIDOH’s laboratory or a state-certified laboratory. Beach closures in Rhode Island are closely tied to precipitation. Stormwater runoff from roads, parking lots, and other impervious surfaces transports contamination (including bacteria) to our fresh and salt-water bodies.

The status of a beach may change daily. The most up-to-date beach information is available through a recorded message on RIDOH’s beaches telephone line (401-222-2751) and online:

Ryan Belmore is the Owner and Publisher of What's Up Newp. He was born and raised in Rhode Island and graduated from Coventry High School. He serves as Vice President of Fort Adams Trust and serves on the Board of Directors for Potter League for Animals. Ryan also is currently the Senior Editor - North America for Mountain News, publisher of OnTheSnow. Ryan is a member of Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers and North American Snowsports Journalists Association (NASJA).