Beach Safety Before You Go

What You Need to Know 

Water pollution is caused by things we see easily, such as:

• trash
• plastic bags and bottles
• cigarette butts
• sewage overflows
• polluted storm water runoff
• sewage treatment plant malfunctions
• boating wastes
• malfunctioning septic systems

Pollution is at its highest during and immediately after rainstorms because water draining onto the beach may contain any of these contaminants. Rainwater that flows to beaches could also be bringing pollutants from lawns, farms, streets, construction sites and dropping off animal waste, fertilizer, and pesticides. 

But there are also more dangerous sources we can't see, such as bacteria and disease-causing organisms that could make you sick. < /p>

Illnesses that unclean beaches can cause include:

• sore throats
• diarrhea
• serious illnesses that last longer than your vacation

People at the greatest risk of illness include:

• children
• elderly
• people with weakened immune systems

How You Can Help

Check the beach's local public health or environmental office for information about where results are posted about the beach's safety. When beaches are found to be contaminated, protection officials post warnings or close the beach.

Questions you should ask:

• What beaches do you monitor, and how often?
• What do you test for?
• Where can I see the test results, and who can explain them to me?
• What are the primary sources of pollution that affect this beach?

If your beach is not monitored regularly, you should:

• Avoid swimming after heavy rain.
• Look for storm drain pipes along the beach, and don't swim near them.
• Look for trash, oil slicks, or other signs of pollution in the water, which may indicate presence of disease-causing organisms that may have also been washed into the water.
• Contact your local health or environmental protection officials if you think your beach is contaminated.
• Work with local authorities to create a monitoring program.

For more on this topic, please see the full article:

http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Before_You_Go_Beach/