Research Areas > Beach Water Quality > Beach Water Quality Monitoring

Research Area: Beach Water Quality Monitoring

Fecal indicator bacteria concentrations are the regulatory standard by which microbial water quality is judged. Beach water quality monitoring programs typically involve taking a single sample at defined sites in ankle deep water along the shoreline. There are still many important questions surrounding beach water quality monitoring and bacterial measurement methods that need to be addressed, including which measurement method provides the best results, where samples should be taken, what the natural background levels of bacteria are, and whether bacteria are incubated in beach sand.
 

SCCWRP Research

The three approved methods for enumerating fecal bacteria in ocean water are very different in the manner in which they produce a result. SCCWRP has been instrumental in conducting studies to compare and document the efficacy of interchanging these methods and intermingling results. Another basic question surrounding beach water quality monitoring is whether samples taken at ankle depth are adequate to characterize water quality for beachgoers along the shoreline as well as surfers and swimmers who spend the majority of their time further out in the water. To answer this question, SCCWRP conducted a study in which water quality measurements were taken simultaneously along the shore and further offshore.

SCCWRP has also conducted a study to determine natural levels of fecal indicator bacteria at non-human impacted reference (i.e., considered to be natural or pristine) beaches. Data from this effort has been used by beach managers to infer background levels of fecal indicator bacteria at southern California beaches. Lastly, there is a great deal of recent interest in naturally occurring sources of bacteria in beach sand. SCCWRP has partnered with researchers from across the country to conduct a method evaluations study that will result in a standardized method to measure these bacteria.

Beach water quality monitoring projects include:

• Comparison among IDEXX, Membrane Filtration and Multiple Tube Fermentation Bacterial Indicator Analysis Methods
• Microbiological Water Quality at Non-Human Impacted Reference Beaches in Southern California During Wet Weather
• Evaluating Methods to Measure Fecal Indicator Bacteria (FIB) in Sand
• Beach Watch
• Efficacy of Shallow Water Sampling to Determine Exposure of Surfers to Indicator Bacteria at Marine Beaches