Ocean water Quality
Before you round up the
family & the water toys
and head to
the beach, why not call 619-338-2073 or go to the handy
website
www.earth911.org
where the "Beach Water
Quality" section displays the current status assigned to
beaches, by the County of San Diego Department of
Environmental Health (D.E.H.).
The
D.E.H. is the local agency
responsible for the protection of public health in
recreational waters. They use
water sampling and laboratory
bacterial monitoring data to ensure
that beach areas water
quality meets state standards for recreational use.
http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/deh/lwq/beachbay/rech20monitor.html.
D.E.H. updates the
web page and the phone report Monday
through Friday. The phone report is also updated on
holidays and weekends.
The current status is based
upon bacterial monitoring data, any reports of sewage
spills to ocean or bay waters, rainfall amounts and
urban runoff flows, and other information such as ocean
current direction or excavation of coastal lagoon
outlets.
103 or more beach water
samples are collected weekly between April 1 and October
31. Over 40 samples are collected weekly between
November 1 and March 31.
The status of Open,
Advisory, or Closed is shown to inform beach goers of
the relative risk of illness from water contact.
Open (Green):
D.E.H. reviews the results of shoreline bacterial
monitoring. Results for
the sample must have been collected
within the last seven days to show a green or Open
status. The
results are available 24 to 72 hours after collection
and processing at the laboratory.
At the end of a 72- hour
General Advisory, the status will be 'No data available'
(clear) until sampling confirms bacterial levels are
within state standards and the flag will change to
green. )
Advisory (Yellow) during dry
weather:
If the
D.E.H. receives results with bacteria
levels that exceed (violate) one or more state
standards, the temporary
Advisory signs will be posted and the station flag will
change to yellow at that
beach. Beachgoers can visit
and enjoy the beach, but should avoid contact with ocean
waters where signs are posted. Contact with ocean water
under an Advisory can cause illness. Problem areas are
frequently in front of or adjacent to river, lagoon or
storm drain outlets.
As a general rule avoid ocean or bay
waters within 75 feet from where runoff from a coastal
outlet (storm drain, river, or lagoon outlet) enters
ocean waters during dry weather. Most of these locations
are posted with
permanent metal advisory signs.
General Advisory (Yellow) during
wet weather: The
D.E.H. will issue a
press release to the media with a
72 hour General Advisory for all
coastal waters due to contamination by urban runoff
following rain. The General Advisory is issued
before test results
are in 24 to 72 hours after samples
are collected.
(Regional and local studies
have documented widespread contamination of coastal
waters by urban runoff following significant rainfall
(usually greater than 0.2"). For the regional study, see
the So Cal Bight 1998 Study at
www.sccwrp.org.
For a local study, see 'Impacts of rain storms on water
quality at beaches adjacent to lagoons' at
www.sdcounty.ca.gov/deh
'beach & bay water quality'.)
Due to limited resources
(personnel and signs) temporary signs are NOT posted for
the 72 -hour
General Advisory along our 52
miles of coastline.
Closed (Red):
Closure signs
will be posted when sewage spills or contaminated runoff
water poses the greater health. Contact with sewage
contaminated ocean water increases one's chance of
acquiring illnesses such as respiratory illness, skin
rashes, eye infections
sinus and
ear infections
and gastro-intestinal illness.
Continual Sampling is
conducted to determine when the signs can be removed.
Closures due to
sewage contamination are always posted, regardless of
whether a General Advisory is in effect or not.
A clear flag:
will be displayed at locations that do not have any
sample results within the last seven days.
Exposure?:
Rinse off
entire body
well with soap and water, especially any abrasions
on the skin. Use a
germ killing
mouthwash to gargle and spit it out.
Use a drop of
isopropyl alcohol on a q-tip, swab then dry out your
ears (carefully of course).
