A Message from the Administrator
Christine Todd Whitman
I believe water is the biggest
environmental issue we face in
the 21st Century in terms of
both quality and quantity. In
the 30 years since its passage,
the Clean Water Act has
dramatically increased the number
of waterways that are once again
safe for fishing and swimming. Despite this great
progress in reducing water pollution, many of the
nation's waters still do not meet water quality goals.
I challenge you to join with me to finish the business
of restoring and protecting our nation's waters for
present and future generations.
For more information about beach water quality
advisories, contact your local or state health or
environmental protection department. You can find
the telephone number in the blue section of your local
telephone directory.
may also contact:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
BEACH Program (4305T)
1 200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
web address: www.epa.gov/ost/beaches
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water (4101M)
EPA-040-P02-001 • April 2002
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Cover photos:
Ocean City Beach by Tex Jobe, US Army Corps of Engineers
Inset Photo by Gene Alexander, Natural Resources Conservation Service
° In celebration of the 30th anniversary
of the Clean Water Act, EPA presents
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The water at. the beach looks clean, but is it? It
may be worth your while to find out before you or
your children go swimming. The water at most beaches
is safe for swimming, most of the time. However, you
cannot be sure the beach water is safe unless it is tested
because your beach water may contain disease-causing
microorganisms that you cannot see. •
Monitoring of beach water quality by local health and
environmental .officials is necessary to warn citizens when
there is a problem. With the passage of the Beaches
Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health
(BEACH) Act on October 10, 2000, the Clean Water
Act was amended to include significant new beach
. protection provisions. This new law authorizes a national
grant program to assist state, tribal, and local govern-
ments in developing and implementing monitoring and
public notification programs for their coastal recreation
waters. It also requires states to adopt improved water
quality standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators
. and requires EPA to conduct studies and develop
improved microbiological water quality criteria guidance.
In addition, the law requires EPA to develop per-
formance criteria for monitoring, notification, and public
information databases and requires other federal agencies
to establish certain programs.
How does beach pollution affect you and
your family?
er can be polluted by different things. Trash,
such as picnic plates, plastic bags arid bottles,
and cigarette butts is easy to see. It is often the things
we can't see, such as bacteria and other microorganisms,
that we need to be more concerned about. If you or your
family are exposed to these disease-causing organisms,
they may make you sick.
Swimming or playing in *. '
unsafe water may result'
in minor illnesses such as
sore throats or diarrhea.
It also might result in
more serious illnesses that
may last longer than your
vacation at the beach!
Children, the elderly, and people with weakened
immune systems have a greater chance of getting sic!
when they come in contact with contaminated water.
Where does this pollution come from?
The most frequent sources of disease-causing
microorganisms are sewage overflows, pollute
storm water runoff, sewage treatment plant malfunctii
boating wastes, and malfunctioning septic systems.
Pollution in beach water is often much higher durin:
and immediately after rainstorms because water dra
ing into the beach may be carrying sewage from ove
flowing sewage treatment systems. Rainwater also fl
to our beaches after running off lawns, farms, street
construction sites, and other urban areas, picking u]
animal waste, fertilizer, pesticides, trash, and many
other pollutants. Many of these pollutants can end r
the water at our beaches.
Diseeise=C0usIn<
Microorganisms
Bacteria
Viruses •
Protozoa
Worms
g Microorganisms 1
Some Illnesses & Sy.
Gastroenteritis (includi
poisoning), cholera.
Fever, common colds, >
Gastroenteritis, crypto
cramps), dysentery.
Digestive disturbances
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BEACH Program
The BEACH Program will help reduce health
risks to you and your family by minimizing your
exposure to disease-causing microorganisms in the water
where you swim or play. The BEACH Program is
ensuring public access to information about the quality
of their beach water. In addition, EPA is working with
state, tribal, and local health and environmental officials
to encourage use of faster tests to detect pollution as well
as develop methods that will help predict when pollution
may occur. With advance warning provided by the local
authorities, you will be able to decide when and where
to swim.
How do I get information about my
beach?
State, tribal, and local health and environmental
protection officials are responsible for monitoring
the quality of water at our nation's beaches. When
they find a beach is contaminated they may post warn-
ings or close the beach. \bur local public health or
environmental office can tell you if and when the water
at your beach is monitored, who does it, and where the
results are posted. Check with EPA's "Beach Watch"
website at www.epa/gov/OST/beaches or contact your
city, county, or other local health officials listed in your
local telephone book.
ea and abdominal pain), salmonellosis (food
teritis, diarrhea, respiratory infections, hepatitis.
iis and giardiasis (including diarrhea and abdominal
g, restlessness, coughing, chest pain, fever, diarrhea.
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Questions to ask your locai beach
health monitoring official:
• Which beaches do you monitor and how often?
• What do you test for?
• Where can I see the test results and who can
explain them to me?
• What are the primary sources of pollution that
affect this beach?
What to do if your beach is not
monitored regularly:
• Avoid swimming after a heavy rain.
• Look for storm drains along the beach. Don't
swim near them.
• If the waters of your beach have been designated
as a no-discharge zone for vessel sewage, check
. to see if boat pumpout facilities are available and
working.
• Look for trash and such other signs of pollution
as oil slicks in the water. These kinds of
pollutants may indicate the presence of disease-
causing microorganisms that may also have been
washed into the water.
e If you diink your beach water is contaminated,
contact your local health or environmental
protection officials. It is important for them to
know about suspected
beach water
contamination so they
can protect citizens
from exposure.
• Work with your local
authorities to create a
monitoring program.
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