Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Community Recreational Water Risk Assessment and Public Outreach
EPA Grant Number: R827063Title: Community Recreational Water Risk Assessment and Public Outreach
Investigators: Biedrzycki, Paul
Institution: City of Milwaukee Health Department
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: November 1, 1998 through October 31, 2000
Project Amount: $320,000
RFA: Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) (1998) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Environmental Statistics , Water , Sustainable and Healthy Communities , Air , Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration
Objective:
For the past 30 years, the City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) has conducted monitoring of the Milwaukee public beaches for contamination that could negatively affect public health. To enhance this effort, the MHD was granted funding through the EMPACT Program in 1998. The MHD partnered with the Racine Health Department, the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Great Lakes WATER Institute, and other organizations to study more closely the beaches in Milwaukee and Racine, WI.
The four EMPACT Project objectives of this research project were to: (1) improve the documentation and dissemination of environmental data specifically related to health risk associated with recreational use of public beaches; (2) improve the type, quantity, and quality of environmental data collected at and around public beaches in both Milwaukee and Racine in development of a public health risk model; (3) improve the coordination and collaboration of local public health agencies in activity coordination and data collection; and (4) build community awareness about surface water pollution prevention.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
In 1999 and 2000, the project targeted Bradford Beach, McKinley Beach, and South Shore Beach in Milwaukee, and Zoo Beach and North Beach in Racine. In 2001, under a grant extension, South Shore Beach was targeted for the continuing study. Other project activities, such as the Web Site, also continued. The MHD, along with project partners, met the project objectives by developing and sustaining the "Beach Health" Web Site (http://infotrek.er.usgs.gov/pls/beachhealth Exit ), which contains current and archived beach water quality information and water quality advisories from the Great Lakes beaches throughout Wisconsin; facilitating installation and maintenance of an automated monitoring station at South Shore Beach, collecting and sending environmental data used in a predictive model to the MHD via the Beach Health Web Site; developing standard protocols for collection, transport, and analysis of beach water samples in southeastern Wisconsin; fostering partnerships and collaborations between public health, environmental organizations, and the community such as the Southeast Wisconsin Beach Task Force; and participating in or coordinating several outreach projects such as the Annual Beach Sweeps, beach sampling events, and educational presentations. For more information on this project, contact the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Project Officer.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 1 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
EMPACT, recreational water quality, E. coli, chemiluminescence, community-based environmental groups, rainfall-based predictive risk model., Scientific Discipline, Geographic Area, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Hydrology, Environmental Chemistry, State, Monitoring/Modeling, Environmental Monitoring, E. coli monitoring, rainfall model, time-relevant monitoring, web site development, recreational water, Wisconsin (WI), water quality, real-time monitoringRelevant Websites:
http://infotrek.er.usgs.gov/pls/beachhealth Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.