When coastal communities experience heavy rainfall, officials often must prohibit swimming due to unacceptable levels of bacteria. Author: Tony Terzi Updated: 8:19 PM EDT July 14, 2021 NEW HAVEN, Conn — Rain can often prevent folks from enjoying the beach in more ways than one. But, as we trudge through one of the wettest July's on record in Connecticut, New Haven continues to work on making things go swimmingly in the future. Like clockwork, when coastal communities experience heavy rainfall, officials often must prohibit swimming due to unacceptable levels of bacteria in the Long Island Sound. "Anything from different runoffs, animal feces, the seagulls to dog waste," said Maritza Bond, New Haven's Health Director. "Things of that nature and then also our combined sewage overflow."