This Land, Your Land

The News & Observer shed some light Saturday on why two beaches at Falls Lake State Recreation Area have been repeatedly closed this summer because of high bacteria levels while a third hasn't been affected, namely, it's not tested.

There are no laws requiring that waters be tested, so while Wake County tests Sandling and Beaverdam public beaches on Falls Lake and has closed them three times this summer, Durham County simply does not test waters at Rolling View beach, just across the lake. "In fact, no tests are done at Rolling View to ensure its waters are safe for swimming," The N&O says.

The state does require tests for coastal waters and pools, the paper says. And the state parks system has tested its waters in a couple of situations where problems became apparent, but does not routinely do so.