United States Office of Water EPA-823-F-00-0003
Environmental Protection (4305) December 2000
Agency
National Health Protection
Survey of Beaches-2000
Swimming Season
U.S. EPA Headquarters Library
Mail code 3201
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20460
EPA
823-
F-
00-0003
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Section 1: Program Information
Date Completed
I INTERNET ACCESS I
EPA is encouraging respondents to complete this questionnaire electronically on the Internet If you are completing the
hard copy questionnaire, please complete this portion.
Q I have Internet access now, but I chose not to use the electronic questionnaire.
Q I do not have Internet access.
Q I expect to have Internet access within the next year and would prefer to complete next year's
questionnaire on the Internet.
Q I expect to have Internet access within the next year but would not use it to complete next year's
questionnaire.
1. Overall Responsibility
What agency has overall responsibility for the swimming beaches?
Name of agency (no abbreviations please):.
Did this agency have any designated swimming beaches in 2000?
Q Yes (If Yes, complete Questions 1-30 and return the survey in the business reply envelope)
Q No (If No, complete Question 2-3 only and return the survey in the business reply envelope)
2. Area
What is your agency's jurisdiction? Please check the one, most inclusive answer.
State (entire)
Region within a state (e.g., multiple counties)
District
County or parish
City
Town
Q Village
D National park
Q State park
J County park
Q Other (please describe):
3. Respondent
Please provide the following about the person filling out this form.
First Name:.
Title:
Last Name:
Agency:
Address:
City:
State:
Phone:
County:
ZIP Code:
Fax:
E-mail address:
Survey No. 100XXX Form approved. OMB Control No. 2040-0189. Approval expires 1/31/2003.
Pagel
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4. Contacts /
Who is (are) the contact person(s) for technical (monitoring, advisory, and/or closing) information and public inquiries
pertaining to these beaches?
Technical (monitoring, advisory, and/or closing) information:
Same as Question 3?
Q Yes Q No (Please provide information below)
First Name:.
Title:
Last Name:
Agency:
Phone: _
Public inquiries:
Same as Question 3?
Q Yes Q No (Please provide information below)
First Name: Last Name:
Title:
Agency:
Phone:
5. Standards
Have recreational water quality standards for bacteria or other pathogens been established in this area?
Q Yes Q No (If No, go to Question 7)
6. Standards Information
Agencies typically use different types of recreational water quality standards (standards based on several samples,
instantaneous standards, or preemptive standards). These standards may vary depending on whether they pertain to
freshwater or marine water.
Please complete the tables on the following pages for the recreational water quality standards used by your agency:
For freshwater go to page 3
For marine water go to page 4
urvey No. 100XXX Form approved. OMB Control No. 2040-0189. Approval expires 1/31/2003.
Page 2 !
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Freshwater
Indicator
Density
per 100 mL
Based on what
statistical measure?
(e.g., geometric mean)
Based on how
many samples?
(must be >1)
Taken within
what time period?
(e.g., 30 days)
Standard Based on Averaging Period: Density of indicator, based on several samples collectec
during a specific period, above which risk to human
health may be considered unacceptable.
Total coliforms
Fecal coliforms
E. coli
Enterococci
Other (please specify):
Instantaneous Standard: Density of indicator, for any single sample, above which risk to
human health may be considered unacceptable.
Total coliforms
Fecal coliforms
E. coli
Enterococci
Other (please specify):
Preemptive Standard (inches of rainfall; include depth and duration, if applicable):
Preemptive Standard (other, such as river flows, presence of debris on beach):
Survey No. 100XXX Form approved. OMB Control No. 2040-0189. Approval expires 1/31/2003.
Page3
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&EFA
Marine Water
Indicator
Density
per 100 mL
Based on what
statistical measure?
(e.g., geometric mean)
Based on how
many samples?
(must be >1)
Taken within
what time period?
(e.g.,30days)
Standard Based on Averaging Period: Density of indicator, based on several samples collectec
during a specific period, above which risk to human
health may be considered unacceptable.
Total coliforms
Fecal coliforms
E. coli
Enterococci
Other (please specify):
Instantaneous Standard: Density of indicator, for any single sample, above which risk to
human health may be considered unacceptable.
Total coliforms
Fecal coiiforms
E. coli
Enterococci
Other (please specify):
Preemptive Standard (inches of rainfall; include depth and duration, if applicable):
Preemptive Standard (other, such as river flows, presence of debris on beach):
Survey No. 1OOXXX
Form approved. OMB Control No. 2040-0189. Approval expires 1/31/2003.
Page 4
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7. Monitoring Program
A. Has a program of beach water quality monitoring for bacteria or other pathogens been established in
this area?
Q Yes Q No (If No, go to Question 10)
B. Approximately how many miles of beach in this jurisdiction were monitored during 2000 (combined total for all
beaches)? Please provide a single number, if possible, instead of a range or "<" or ">".
VB^T.
Miles
Miles unknown
8. Monitoring Procedures
What is the procedure for reporting the results of the beach water quality monitoring tests?
Check all that apply:
Q Provide results to internal agency staff for evaluation
Provide results to different agency staff for evaluation
Notify owner/manager/operator/lifeguards of results
Post results at beach
Provide results on hotline/water quality information/results phone line
Have results announced on local radio station
Have results announced on local TV station
Publish results in local newspaper
Post results on the Internet
Provide results to anyone on request
Other (please specify):
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
9. Targeted Monitoring
Are beaches with a history of contamination problems or high-use beaches that are suspected of contamination
monitored more or less frequently than others?
Q More Q Less
About the same
Not applicable
10. Advisory/Closing Program
A. Are the beaches in this area covered by an advisory/closing program? (Include bacterial contamination, oil spills,
debris, resuspended sediments, algae blooms, or fish kills, but not electrical storms or high winds.)
Q Yes Q No (If No, go to Question 18)
B. Are the advisory and closing programs separate or combined?
Q Combined (answer Questions 11-17 where "Combined" is indicated)
Q Separate (answer Questions 11-17 where "Advisory Only" and "Closing Only" are indicated)
Survey No. 100XXX Form approved. OMB Control No. 2040-0189. Approval expires 1/31/2003.
PageS
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5ER&
11. Advisory/Closing Determination Authority
What agency has the authority to determine when a beach advisory or closing is needed?
Combined Advisory/Closing or Advisory Only
Name of Agency:
First Name: Last Name:
Title:
Phone:
Closing Only
Name of Agency:
First Name:
Title:
Phone:
Last Name:
12. Advisory/Closing Determination Procedures
What is the procedure for making an advisory/closing determination for this area?
Please check all that apply:
Combined or Separate
Advisory Closing
Q
Q
a
Q
Q
Q
a
Only Only
G Q Compare bacterial concentrations with water quality standards to
determine whether standards are exceeded
G Q Perform water quality modeling
Q G Assess risks to potential swimmers
Q Q Discuss situation with other agencies
Q G Assess number of complaints of sickness
G G Perform a precautionary closing in response to hazardous discharges
Q G Compare conditions to preemptive closing criteria
G Q Other (please specify):
Combined
Advisory Only
Closing Only
13. Advisory/Closing Issuance Authority
What agency actually issues the beach advisories or closings?
All information is same as Question 11?
Q Yes 3 No (If No, please provide information below)
Combined Advisory/Closing or Advisory Only
Name of Agency: ___^____
First Name: Last Name:
Title:
Phone:
Closing Only
Name of Agency:
First Name:
Title:
Last Name:
Phone:
Survey No. 100XXX Form approved. OMB Control No. 2040-0189. Approval expires 1/31/2003.
Page 6
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14. Advisory/Closing Issuance Procedures /
What is the procedure for issuing beach advisories or closings in this area?
Please check all that apply:
Combined or Separate
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Advisory Closing
Only Only
Q Q Provide announcement to internal agency staff
Q Q Provide announcement to other government agency(ies)
Q Q Notify owner/manager/operator/lifeguards of results
Q Q Post advisory or closing at the beach
Q Q Provide results on hotline/water quality information/result phone line
Q Q Have advisory or closing announced on local radio station
Q Q Have advisory or closing announced on local TV station
Q Q Publish advisory or closing in local newspaper
Q Q Post advisory or closing on the Internet
Q L! Physically isolate contaminated area (e.g., block access, fence off area)
Q Q Other (please specify):
Combined
Advisory Onlv
Closine Onlv
15. Advisory/Closing Notification
How quickly is the public notified after beach water quality monitoring test results are obtained and an advisory or
closing is issued?
Combined or Separate
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Advisory Closing
Only Only
Q Q Within 1 hour
Q Q Generally within 24 hours
Q Q Generally within 24-72 hours
Q Q More than 72 hours later
Q a Variable
16. Advisory/Closing Reopening Authority
What agency has the authority to reopen a beach or lift an advisory?
All information is same as Question 11?
Q Yes G No (If No, please provide information below)
Combined
Name of A
First Name
Title:
Advisory/Closing or Advisory Only
igencv:
5: Last Name:
Phone: ~~ ~~
Closing Only
Name of Aaencv:
First Name: Last Name:
Title:
Phone:
Survey No. 100XXX Form approved. OMB Control No. 2040-0189. Approval expires 1/31/2003. Page 7
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17. Advisory/Closing Reopening Procedures /
What is the procedure for reopening a closed beach or lifting an advisory?
Please check all that apply:
Combined or Separate
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Advisory Closing
Only Only
G Q Resample and compare bacterial concentrations with water quality standards to
determine whether levels are below standards
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
G
Q
Q
G
18. Program Cost
G Assess risks to potential swimmers
G Discuss situation with other agencies
G Assess number of complaints of sickness
G Reopen after a set number of days following rainfall
G Provide announcement to agency staff
G Provide announcement to local government staff
Q Notify owner/manager/operator/lifeguards of results
G Post announcement at the beach
G Provide results on hotline/water quality information/result phone line
G Have reopening announced on local radio station
G Have reopening announced on local TV station
G Publish reopening in local newspaper
G Post reopening on the Internet
G Remove physical barriers set when closed
G Other (please specify):
Combined
Advisory Onlv
Closing Onlv
What is the annual cost of the beach program in your area? If your monitoring program costs cannot be separated from
your advisory/closing program costs, provide the combined costs under "Combined." If your program costs can be
separated, provide cost information under "Separate." If the exact amount is known, please include it. If exact costs are
unknown, please check ONE of the following choices in the appropriate column(s):
Combined or Separate
Monitoring,
Advisory, and
Closing
Actual S
Estimated
Q
Q
Q
Q
G
G
G
G
Survey No. 100XXX Form
Monitoring Advisory
Only and Closing
S $
G G Less than $2,500 per year
Q G $2,500-59,999 per year
Q Q $10,000-$49,999 per year
Q G $50,000-599,999 per year
G G SI 00,000-5250,000 per year
G G More than 5250.000 per year
G G Don't know
G «J Not available
approved. OMB Control No. 2040-0189. Approval expires 1/31/2003. Page 8
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19. Guidance /
What aspects (if any) of your beach protection program are based on formal guidance, either internally developed or
issued by some other authority?
Please check all that apply and provide document information, including complete titles, if possible:
Q Standards
Title
Issued by
Q Monitoring
Title
Issued by
Q Risk Assessment
Title
Issued by
Q Other (please specify)
Title
Issued by
I W»b Site Availability |
If your agency provides information on programs or activities for swimming beaches on an Internet web site, please
provide the URL. (A link will be established from EPA's BEACH Watch web site to your web site.)
Q Agency-related Information (agency operations, water quality standards, and advisories issued)
http://
Q Monitoring Data (water quality and pathogen indicator measurements)
http://
Q General and Tourist-related Information (such as maps, photographs, and daily beach operations)
http://
Q Real-Time Monitoring/Advisory and Closing Information
http://
I CIS Data or Coverage Availability
Does your agency or another agency have a mapping program that identifies the location(s) of beach(es) in your
agency's jurisdiction? (If Yes, please provide information below)
Q Yes Q No
Name of Agency :
Contact First Name:
Contact Last Name:
Phone: __, E-mail:
urvey No. 100XXX Form approved. OMB Control No. 2040-0189. Approval expires 1/31/2003. Page 9
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Survey No. 100XXX
Form approved. OMB Control No. 2040-0189. Approval expires 1/31/2003.
Page 1O
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Section 2: Beach-Specific Information
Name of Beach
Please fill in the following information for each beach within your jurisdiction. Each page should
represent one beach location. Make additional copies of pages 11-13 to write the answers for each beach.
(Note: Responses pertain to the 2000 swimming season.)
Countv
Nearest Citv or Town
Date Completed
20]
A. Beach location
Please choose one box to describe the location
of your beach.
Name of waterbody _
(for example: Atlantic Ocean, San Francisco Bay, Jones River)
A.
B. Type of water
C. Length of beach
D. Latitude and longitude (if known)
E. Public/private beach?
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
B. a
C. _
Atlantic Ocean - Open Coast
Atlantic Ocean - Sound, Bay, or Inlet
Pacific Ocean - Open Coast
Pacific Ocean - Sound, Bay, or Inlet
Gulf of Mexico - Open Coast
Gulf of Mexico - Sound, Bay, or Inlet
Great Lakes - Open Coast
Great Lakes - Sound, Bay, or Inlet
Inland Waterbody - River or Stream
Inland Waterbody - Lake
Inland Waterbody - Pond
Other, please specify
D. Latitude
Longitude.
Freshwater 3 Estuarine LI Saltwater
. Miles Q Miles unknown
^° ' " N or . ' N
"W
or
W
E. Q Public
Q Private
Q Both (public and private)
A. Approximately how many people (on
average) would you estimate use this beach
per day?
A. Use the categories to indicate your estimate for each of the following times
of year. Choose one from:
(A) less than 100
(B) 10CW99
(C) 500-999
(D) 1,000-9,999
B. What percentage of people who use this
beach go into the water (e.g., swimming,
sportfishing)? If unknown, is there another
source for this information?
B.
Weekday: During the peak season.
Weekend Day: During the peak season.
Holiday Day: During the peak season.
% go into the water. C
(E) More than 10,000
(F) Don't know
During other seasons
During other seasons
During other seasons
Unknown
Source.
22J
Are there any sources of pollution that are in
the vicinity of this beach or might affect the
beach?
Q Yes Q No (If No or Unknown, go to Question 24)
Q Unknown
What sources of pollution might affect this
beach?
Select all that applvfrom the following list:
Q Combined sewer overflow (CSO)
Sanitary sewer overflow (SSO)
Publicly owned treatment works (POTW)
Septic systems
Break in pipes
Other (please specify)
Q
Q
Q
Q
3 Boat discharges
3 Storm water
Q Runoff
3 Wildlife
U Unknown
Survey No. 100XXX Form approved. OMB Control No. 2040-0189. Approval expires 1/31/2003.
Page 11
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SERA
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24J
Is beach water quality monitoring for bacteria
or other pathogens performed at this beach? If
Yes, how many miles of beach are monitored?
25J
A. Who performs the water quality monitor-
ing for this beach?
B. May a beach be closed based on citizens'
monitoring of beach water quality?
26]
A. How frequently are samples collected at
this beach for analysis of bacterial
densities during the swimming season?
B. Based on the water quality standards for
this beach, how many times were criteria
exceeded during the 2000 swimming
season?
C. Number of months in the swimming
season:
2ZJ
If the bacterial testing results indicate that
applicable bacterial standards are exceeded, is
the beach closed or an advisory issued?
A. Was this beach closed for the entire vear
of 2000 as a result of pollution?
B. If yes, what is the frequency of monitoring?
C. Was this beach closed for the entire vear
of 2000 as a result of high water or
insufficient funds?
D. What programs are under way to improve
conditions at the beach ?
G Yes Number of miles:
G Miles unknown
Q No (If No, go to Question 28)
A. Select ONE from the following list:
Q This agency Q Outside laboratory
Q Another agency Q Citizens
Q Contractor for agency Q Other (please specify):
If response is not "This agency," please specify name and/or agency and
address:
B. Q Yes Q No
A. Select ONE from the following list:
G Once a month G Twice a week
G Once every two weeks G Three or more times a week
G Once a week G Daily
G Other (please specify)
B. times
C. months
G Yes Q No Q Usually
G Sometimes, depending on the circumstances (please specify)
A. G Yes Q No
B. Select ONE from the following list:
G Once a month G Twice a week
G Once every two weeks G Three or more times a week
G Once a week G Daily
Q Other (please specify')
C. Q Yes G No
If Yes. please specify:
D. Please describe programs:
29 —
— ' Was an advisory or closing issued for this beach 3 Yes J No
during 2000. If No, you are done with the questions for this beach. Start a nev. sheet to
answer questions for another beach. If there are no other beaches in your
jurisdiction, you have finished this questionnaire.
If Yes. continue to Question 30.
Survey No. 10OXXX Form approved. OMB Control No. 2040-0189. Approval expires 1/31/2003. Page 12
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30 1
On the Answer Table below, list the dates (start-end) of the advisories and closings during 2000, using the format shown in
the examples. Specify the reason(s), source(s), and indicator type(s) for each advisory/posting or closing.
Note: If you have more than 20 advisories or closings, you will need to copy this table. For the purposes of this survey, an
advisory (or posting) is defined as a warning issued when a bacteriological standard is exceeded.
A. Use these numbers for the reason(s) why the advisories or closings were implemented. Select all that apply from the following
list:
(1) Preemptive (2) Sewage (3) Elevated bacteria levels (4) Other types of pollution (5) Rain
(6) Other (please specify)
B. Use these numbers for the source(s) that resulted in advisories or closings. Select all that apply from the following list:
(1) CSO (4) Septic systems (7) Storm water (10) Wildlife
(2) SSO (5) Break in pipeline (8) Runoff (11) Other (please specify)
(3) POTW (6) Boat discharges (9) Unknown
C. Use these numbers for the indicator type(s) used to close a beach or issue an advisory. Select all that apply from the following
list:
(1) Preemptive (2) Enterococci (3) Total coliform (4) Fecal coliform (5) E. coli (6) Total/Fecal ratio
(7) Other (please specify)
Answer Table
Advisory
(Posting)
or
Closing
Advisory
Closing
Start
Date
(mm/dd/yyyy)
08/05/200C
03/04./2OOO
End
Date
(mm/dd/yyyy)
08/08/20OO
O3/O7/2OOO
Total
number
of days
posted
3
3
Is this part of a
general or area-
wide advisory or
closing?
(yes or no)
no
yes
Does this
advisory Or
closing affect
adjacent
beaches?
(yes or no)
yes
yes
Percent of
this beach
affected
25
30
Reason(s)
(use numbers
from 30A above)
2
2,3
Sources)
(use numbers
from 30B above)
1,2,5,10
12,5
Indicator
type(s) used to
close or issue an
advisory
(use numbers
from 30C above)
2,3
2,3
Survey No. 100XXX Form approved. OMB Control No. 2040-0189. Approval expires 1/31/2003. Page 13
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Burden Statement
The public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 2.4 hours per response
annually. Burden means total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or
provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and
utilize technology and systems for the purposes, of collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and maintaining
information, and disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable instruc-
tions and requirements; train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information; search data sources; complete and
review the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information. For this survey, the burden includes the
time needed to review instructions, make copies of the beach-specific questions and Answer Table for each beach, gather the
information needed to complete the questionnaire, fill in the answers to the questions, and mail the questionnaire back to EPA. An
agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a
currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations are listed in 40 CFR Part 9 and 48 CFR
Chapter 15.
Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested
methods for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of automated collection techniques, to the Director,
Collection Strategies Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2822), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460; and to
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC
20503, Attention: Desk officer for EPA. Include the EPA ICR number and OMB control number in any correspondence. Do not
send the completed survey to this address.
Survey No. 100XXX
Form approved. OMB Control No. 2040-O189. Approval expires 1/31/2003.
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U.S. EPA Headquarters Library
Mail code 3201
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20460
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