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How Do We Determine When the Beaches are Safe for Swimming?

Fact Sheet 112-98
By: , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/fs11298

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Abstract

The use of Lake Erie and other public waters for swimming is a valuable recreational resource for the people of Ohio and elsewhere in the United States. Water-resource managers and the scientific commu­nity have recognized the need for rapid methods to determine the quality of these recreational waters to adequately protect public health.

Fecal-indicator bacteria, such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) and fecal coliforms, are used to determine the risk of contracting waterborne disease from fecal-contaminated recreational waters. Fecal-indicator bacteria are not necessarily pathogens ( disease-causing organisms), but their presence can indicate the possible presence of pathogens. Although improvements to existing sewage treatment systems are continuously being made in many areas, fecal contamination is still a possibility. Therefore, findings from carefully designed monitoring programs are needed to inform the public on the risk of swimming in fecal-contaminated waters.

Current methods to assess the concentrations of fecal indicators-that is, the number of bacteria in a certain volume of water-take at least 24 hours to complete. Due to the long time frame, some scientists have suggested using other water-quality or environ­mental surrogates (substitutes) to determine these concentrations. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is working to address this concern in a study con­ducted at three Lake Erie beaches in the Cleveland, Ohio, area. The study has shown that turbidity (the amount of light scattered or absorbed by suspended materials in a water sample), rainfall, and wave height could be used in a statistical model to predict E. coli concentrations.

Suggested Citation

Veley, R.J., Francy, D.S., Darner, and Robert A., 1998, How do we determine when the beaches are safe for swimming?: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 1998–112, 2 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/fs11298.

ISSN: 2327-6932 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • What are the problems with current methods to evaluate beach-water quality?
  • How can we improve these methods?
  • What needs to be done next?
  • Reference
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title How do we determine when the beaches are safe for swimming?
Series title Fact Sheet
Series number 112-98
DOI 10.3133/fs11298
Year Published 1998
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey,
Publisher location Reston, VA
Description 1 sheet: 2 p. : col. ill. ; 28 x 18 cm. col. ill.
Country United States
State Ohio
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