UPDATED: July 21 @ 8 am to announce the Eichler's Cove swimming area has been cleared to reopen.

* * * * *

Early Sunday morning, July 21, Newtown Health District Director Donna Culbert reviewed water samples and authorized the Eichler's Cove beach to reopen for swimming.

In occasional previous cases, the beach had been closed in the hours or days after even short periods of heavy rain produced extensive runoff - or a combination of stagnant water and high temperatures produced elevated levels of bacteria.

A day earlier, the Health District found water sample results exceeded acceptable limits for swimming, and recommended Newtown Parks and Recreation temporarily close Eichler's Cove Beach for swimming. 

Health District Director Donna Culbert told The Newtown Bee at approximately 12:45 pm Saturday, that new samples would be analyzed with the hopes of possibly re-opening the public beach area - those results became available just after 7 am Sunday morning.

She said she cleared the beach for swimming and notified Parks & Rec Waterfront Director Kristin Rebelo after results were reviewed.

Residents who were holding Eichler's passes on one of the hottest July 20 on record in Connecticut were invited to use Treadwell Park pool.

Check back here or follow The Bee's Facebook and Twitter sites now to receive the most immediate updates.