Bacteria found at Willard Beach is confirmed to come from humans

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 15, 2025

The South Portland Water Resource Protection department determined that the source of the bacteria enterococcus at Willard Beach is human, not canine. This finding, shared in a presentation before the City Council, indicates that the water quality issues at Willard Beach are likely the result of sewage leaking into stormwater rather than dog waste, according to Tracy Krueger, with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.