BELMONT, N.C. – The beach at South Point Access Park is closed until further notice due to a high E. coli reading during routine water testing.

Gaston County Parks, Recreation, & Tourism closed the beach immediately after the most recent results came in on Thursday. E. coli is naturally occurring in North Carolina lakes and rivers, though elevated levels are known to increase the presence of disease-causing bacteria and viruses.

Pace Labs, which conducts water sampling for South Point Access Park, samples the swimming area weekly. Pace retested the water Thursday and are expected to have results on Friday. 

While the beach is closed, South Point Access Park’s other amenities remain open for residents and visitors to enjoy. Gaston County Parks, Recreation, & Tourism looks forward to welcoming visitors back to the beach as soon as possible. 

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