12:31 p.m.

A new study from a national environmental organization has found higher levels of bacteria in Newport Harbor and Upper Newport Bay than in the city’s surrounding coastal waters, but city officials say the water in the bay isn’t likely to make swimmers sick.

The report from the Natural Resources Defense Council analyzed water quality results from beaches around the country.

The study found bacteria levels at the Newport Boulevard Bridge in Newport Harbor exceeded public health standards 30% of the time in 2008. The report also found bacteria levels at other spots on Newport Bay exceeded public health standards anywhere from 8% to 20% of the time.

While the report found bacteria was a problem in some spots on Newport Bay, it probably isn’t from human waste, which could make a person ill, said Newport Beach Assistant City Manager Dave Kiff.

“I can swim in an area with bird manure or fertilizer in it, but I’m not going to get sick because it’s not something that comes from human waste,” Kiff said.

Although storm drains empty everything from lawn clippings to animal feces into Newport Bay, human waste from local sewers is piped to Huntington Beach, where it is treated and then sent than four miles out into the ocean, making it unlikely that dangerous human fecal matter would contaminate beaches on Newport Bay, Kiff said.

The report also found dozens of health advisories were issued for beaches on Newport Bay in 2008, including three for Newport Harbor at 33rd Street and three for North Star Beach on Upper Newport Bay. The majority of advisories were due to high bacteria levels in the water.

BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at [email protected].