A swimming area on the Saco River in Buxton was closed, and three coastal beaches were flying orange flags Sunday because of high levels of bacterial contamination likely tied to heavy rains.

Buxton’s Pleasant Point Park swimming area has been closed since Friday because of high levels of E.coli bacteria in the water, according to the town’s web page.

Portland’s East End Beach, and Gooch’s and Laudholm beaches in Kennebunk have been flying orange flags warning visitors of high enterococci bacteria levels, but they have not been closed. The orange flags warn visitors that bacteria levels are higher than normal.

“When we receive positive results, the standard practice is to post signs at the beach advising people. A high number of contamination sites statewide this summer (are) due to rain,” Portland spokesperson Jessica Grondin said Sunday in a text.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection publishes water quality information for participating beaches on its Healthy Beaches Dashboard, which is updated daily.

This summer’s rainy weather has made conditions ripe for bacterial contamination in swimming areas, said Dr. Dora Anne Mills, chief health officer at MaineHealth and former head of Maine’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Both enterococci and E.coli are forms of fecal bacteria that can cause illness, she said.

Mills said Sunday she wasn’t surprised by the high bacteria levels.

“It’s always in August,” Mills said – warmer water is more susceptible to high bacteria levels. “And the water is warmer than ever. It used to be you couldn’t really swim in the ocean because it was too cold. Now you can swim in the ocean in Maine pretty easily.”

And when there’s a lot of rain, some sewer or septic systems are unable to handle the extra volume, allowing untreated sewage into the water. “You have along the shoreline systems that are grandfathered septic systems, and towns that have systems that have overflowed into the water,” Mills said.

Maine and the Northeast are receiving above-normal rainfall this year and more rain is forecast. Mount Washington in New Hampshire has recorded its wettest July since 1931, according to Mount Washington Observatory spokesman Charlie Buterbaugh.

In addition, more towns and cities are testing the water for bacteria, Mills said. And more people are visiting beaches. Young children who wear diapers in the water can contribute to high bacteria levels, Mills said, as can dog droppings.

Mills said she would not swim at a beach with a high-bacteria warning in place.

Some beaches are more susceptible than others, she added. Beaches in coves or where there is less ocean current, and those that attract big crowds, are more likely to see contamination than a beach like Popham State Park, which has strong currents, Mills said.

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