U.S. beach water quality monitoring

Coastal water quality is an important factor influencing public health and the quality of our nation’s beaches. In recent years, poor water quality has resulted in increased numbers of beach closures and corresponding negative impacts on tourism. This paper addresses some of the issues surrounding the management challenge of coastal water quality, in particular, beach water quality monitoring. For this effort, data on beach water quality monitoring activities conducted by states were assessed and synthesized. In total, 29 states were surveyed: 16 reported information for seawater; six reported for freshwater only; eight reported for both seawater and freshwater. Thresholds for advisories and closure vary nationally; however, all 29 states have established an online presence for their monitoring programs and display advisories and closures in real time, most often on spatial information (GIS) portals. Challenges in monitoring, prediction, and communication are assessed and discussed. Based on this assessment, the committee offers the following recommendations, as detailed in the text: • Standardization of water quality data and the distribution medium; • Enhanced public access to water quality monitoring data; • Consistent thresholds for swim advisories; • Water quality regulation reviews with stakeholder participation; • Enhanced predictive models incorporating rapid testing results; • Holistic water quality monitoring that includes indicators beyond fecal indicator bacteria; • Managing contaminants of emerging concern through identification, monitoring and control; and • Funding for water quality monitoring and reporting -- from federal, state, and local governments.

Evaluasi Kesesuaian Perairan sebagai Kawasan Budidaya Kappaphycus alvarezii Doty 1985 (Florideophyceae : Solieriaceae), di Kecamatan Jepara

Rumput laut merupakan salah satu komoditas utama dalam budidaya perikanan yang dapat di budidayakan secara masal sehingga dapat dikatakan merupakan komoditas yang strategis. Karakteristik perairan secara fisika dan kimia Perairan Jepara memiliki potensi untuk pengembangan budidaya rumput laut. Namun di Kabupaten Jepara hanya Pantai Karimunjawa yang dimanfaatkan menjadi kawasan budidaya rumput laut. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui tingkat kesesuaian perairan berdasarkan kualitas air untuk kawasan budidaya rumput laut (K. alvarezii) di perairan Kecamatan Jepara yang terkait parameter fisika dan kimia. Penelitian ini merupakan jenis penelitian deskriptif dengan metode survei pengamatan langsung pada bulan Januari-Februari 2021 di 3 lokasi (stasiun) yaitu Pantai Kartini, Pantai Prawean dan Pantai Bandengan. Analisis Kesesuaian perairan menggunakan metode pembobotan (scoring). Hasil evaluasi dari skoring penilaian kesesuaian perairan di Perairan Kecamatan Jepara menunjukkan bahwa Pantai Kartini, Prawean dan Bandengan sesuai untuk dijadikan kawasan budidaya rumput laut (K. alvarezii). Seaweed is one of the main commodities in aquaculture which can be cultivated en masse so that it can be said to be a strategic commodity. Physical and chemical characteristics of the waters in Jepara waters have the potential for the development of seaweed cultivation. However, in Jepara Regency, only Karimunjawa Beach is used as a seaweed cultivation area. This study aims to determine the level of water suitability based on water quality for the cultivation of seaweed (K. alvarezii) in the waters of Jepara District which are related to physical and chemical parameters. This research is a descriptive type of research with direct survey methods in January-February 2021 in 3 stations, namely Kartini Beach, Prawean Beach and Bandengan Beach. Water suitability analysis uses the scoring method. The results of the evaluation of the assessment of the suitability of waters in the waters of Jepara District show that Kartini, Prawean and Bandengan Beaches are suitable to be used as seaweed cultivation areas (K. alvarezii).

Physicochemical interaction with faecal bacteria in characterisation of beach water quality, Gulf of Guinea, Ghana

Human activities such as industrial and agricultural waste discharges directly in the coastal areas increasingly contribute to pollution in coastal waters of Western Africa. The study employed physicochemical and faecal analysis to understand water pollution along the coast of Ghana. The physicochemical parameter such as temperature, salinity, electrical conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen concentration, dissolved oxygen saturation, total dissolved solids, and redox potential) were measured in situ while water samples were collected determination of total suspended solids, nutrients, chlorophyll-a, and faecal bacteria. The abundance of total coliforms (4061.6 ± 4159.14 CFU/100 ml water), Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus spp. varied significantly (p < 0.05) among the beaches. The high amount of faecal bacteria suggest microbial contamination, possible ecosystem, and health risks to water resource users. This baseline study provides evidence of coastal water contamination to improve beach water quality standards to ensure safe environmental health.

Waterborne illness and injury: a feasibility study of a site-specific predictive model for beach water quality at Beachway Park in the City of Burlington

It is commonly assumed that the persistence model, using day-old monitoring results, will provide accurate estimates of real-time bacteriological concentrations in beach water. However, the persistence model frequently provides incorrect results. This study: 1. develops a site-specific predictive model, based on factors significantly influencing water quality at Beachway Park; 2. determines the feasibility of the site-specific predictive model for use in accurately predicting near real-time E. coli levels. A site-specific predictive model, developed for Beachway Park, was evaluated and the results were compared to the persistence model. This critical performance evaluation helped to identify the inherent inaccuracy of the persistence model for Beachway Park, which renders it an unacceptable approach for safeguarding public health from recreational water-borne illnesses. The persistence model, supplemented with a site-specific predictive model, is recommended as a feasible method to accurately predict bacterial levels in water on a near real-time basis.

Waterborne illness and injury: a feasibility study of a site-specific predictive model for beach water quality at Beachway Park in the City of Burlington

It is commonly assumed that the persistence model, using day-old monitoring results, will provide accurate estimates of real-time bacteriological concentrations in beach water. However, the persistence model frequently provides incorrect results. This study: 1. develops a site-specific predictive model, based on factors significantly influencing water quality at Beachway Park; 2. determines the feasibility of the site-specific predictive model for use in accurately predicting near real-time E. coli levels. A site-specific predictive model, developed for Beachway Park, was evaluated and the results were compared to the persistence model. This critical performance evaluation helped to identify the inherent inaccuracy of the persistence model for Beachway Park, which renders it an unacceptable approach for safeguarding public health from recreational water-borne illnesses. The persistence model, supplemented with a site-specific predictive model, is recommended as a feasible method to accurately predict bacterial levels in water on a near real-time basis.