The good news is that a south island beach plagued with high levels of fecal bacteria recently received a clean bill of health from state regulators.

The bad news is that two other beaches had their status downgraded, marking the south and north-end stretches of shoreline as prohibited for shellfish harvesting.

The solution for the newly-clean two-mile beach was fairly simple: a handful of waterfront residents fixed their septic systems after health and city officials notified them of the problem.

Even though the downgraded beaches are also likely suffering from bad septics, local health officials are scrounging for enough money to investigate and inform residents of the necessary fixes.

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Health authorities have closed Port Madison Bay on Bainbridge and Miller Bay in North Kitsap to shellfish harvesting because of red tide.

High levels of paralytic shellfish poison were found in mussels taken Monday from Miller Bay near Suquamish.

State and county health officials responded by closing the Kitsap Peninsula shoreline from Agate Passage to Jefferson Point. On Bainbridge Island, the closure goes from Agate Passage to Point Monroe. The closure is for all species of shellfish.

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The city’s got a tough choice on its hands.

By order of the state, the city must invest millions of dollars to redirect a Winslow sewer outfall away from Wing Point’s shellfish beds or pay tens of thousands a year in compensation.

City engineers are scrambling. The City Council will soon be debating. But either way, city coffers will be draining.

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