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THE EMPACT BEACHES PROJECT - A STUDY OF THE PARAMETERS THAT AFFECT MICROBIOLOGICAL MONITORING
Citation:
BRENNER, K. P. THE EMPACT BEACHES PROJECT - A STUDY OF THE PARAMETERS THAT AFFECT MICROBIOLOGICAL MONITORING. Presented at 2005 Sustainable Beaches Conference, St. Petersburg, FL, October 31 - November 02, 2005.
Impact/Purpose:
The objectives of this research are: (1) to evaluate rapid state-of-the-art measuement methods of pathogens that may indicate the presence of fecal pollution in recreational waters (beaches); (2) to obtain, jointly with a sister laboratory (NHEERL), a new set of water quality data and related health effects data at a variety of beaches across the U.S., in both marine and non-marine waters; (3) to analyze the research data set to evaluate the utility of the tested measurement methods, the new EMPACT monitoring protocol, and the health effects data / questionnaire, in order to establish a relationship between measured pathogens and observed health effects; and (4) to communicate the results to the Office of Water in support of their efforts to develop new state and/or federal guidelines and limits for water quality indicators of fecal contamination, so that beach managers and public health officials can alert the public about the potential health hazards before exposure to unsafe water can occur.
Description:
The current U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) water sample collection method for recreational water was suggested by the Federal Water Pollution Control Agency in 1968 as part of the fecal coliform guideline. Although improvements have been made in the indicator bacteria detection methods and health guidelines, the old method of collecting samples continues to be used. The objective of the EMPACT (Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking) Beaches Study, carried out by EPA and the EMPACT cities and laboratories, was to determine the best way to monitor recreational water (i.e., how many samples to collect, where and when the samples should be collected, and how the data should be analyzed) to assist beach managers in developing site-specific monitoring protocols for their beaches. The water from five representative beaches was examined using an extensive sample collection protocol and the currently approved indicator methods for Escherichia coli (2 freshwater beaches) and Enterococci (3 marine and/or estuarine water beaches). Ancillary measurements, such as pH, turbidity, total suspended solids, rainfall, weather conditions, tides and/or currents, number of bathers and animals in the water and on the beach, debris, and boats near the beach, were also recorded. The results showed that the greatest single influence on beach water sampling was the distance from the shoreline at which the sample was taken. Time of day and environmental factors, such as sunshine, rain, wind and tides, were also found to affect water quality and must be considered in the interpretation of monitoring results. The information from this study will be used by the EPA Office of Water to develop a set of official monitoring guidelines that will assist the beach managers to develop their own site-specific monitoring protocols and to make time-relevant, understandable water quality data information available to the public.