Summer swimmers in downtown Bellevue are being sidelined after routine testing at Meydenbauer Bay Park turned up high bacteria levels, prompting a full closure of the swim area through Wednesday, July 1, according to city parks staff. The shoreline itself is still open for picnics, strolls and boat launches, but both people and pets are being warned to stay out of the water to avoid getting sick.
City Posts Bilingual Closure Notice
Bellevue Parks & Community Services has posted a bilingual English and Spanish alert at the waterfront, making it clear that the Meydenbauer swim area is off-limits until Wednesday, July 1, as shared by the City of Bellevue. The notice urges visitors to stay out of the water and directs residents to county testing results for dates and follow-up details. Staff say warning signs are planted along the beach while the rest of the park remains open for dry-land fun.
Public Health Urges Staying Out of the Water
Public Health - Seattle & King County is not sugarcoating it, recommending that people "stay out of the water" and warning that "right now, the water here could make you sick," according to Public Health - Seattle & King County. The agency oversees weekly testing at many lakeside swim spots and calls for closures or reopenings based on those lab results. Illnesses from contaminated water can include stomach trouble, skin rashes and ear or eye infections.
How Testing Triggers Closures
Under the county’s playbook, King County collects three water samples at most swim beaches once a week. If two or three samples pulled on the same day top 320 CFU per 100 mL, Public Health will generally recommend a closure. A 30-day geometric mean above 100 CFU can also lead to restrictions, according to the county’s beach testing protocol. Because sampling happens weekly, reopenings hinge on follow-up tests that show bacteria levels dropping back into the safe zone.
Other Bellevue Beaches and Lifeguards
Bellevue operates six lakefront beach parks: Chism, Clyde, Enatai, Newcastle, Chesterfield and Meydenbauer. Lifeguard schedules and seasonal rentals are posted on the city’s parks page, according to the City of Bellevue. The city logged a swim-area closure notice for Meydenbauer on June 23 and says updates will appear on its beach-status page. Anyone counting on a swim is urged to check the city’s beach page or King County’s testing site before taking the plunge.
If You Swam at Meydenbauer
If you went in the water at a closed site and are now feeling under the weather, contact your healthcare provider and mention that you were swimming at the beach. For questions about water testing or lifeguard coverage, Public Health can be reached at 206-263-9566, and Bellevue Parks at 425-452-4444.
