According to Public Health – Seattle & King County and the city of Mercer Island, the Luther Burbank Park swim beach is now safe for people to return to the water.

Lab results received on Aug. 27 showed improved water quality and met the reopening criteria set by Public Health, the city said. The Reporter received an email from King County that afternoon noting the reopening as well.

Due to high bacteria levels, Public Health closed the swim beach on the evening of Aug. 20. A previous Reporter story noted that Daniel Nidzgorski, ecologist with the King County Water and Land Resources Division, said that Public Health collected three water samples at Luther Burbank on the morning of Aug. 19. All three contained high bacteria and Public Health informed the city of its findings.

Public Health conducted its weekly water testing on Aug. 26 and informed the city of the results the following day. Lab tests take about 24 hours because they involve incubating the bacteria, Nidzgorski said.