In celebration of the 30th anniversary 

of the Clean Water Act, EPA presents

UNITED STATES

ENV

RI ONMENTAL PROTECTION

AG

E

NCY

United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Water (4101M)

EPA 823-F-02-004 • April 2002

Cover photos:

Ocean City Beach by Tex Jobe, US Army Corps of Engineers

Inset Photo by Gene Alexander, Natural Resources Conservation Service

Questions to ask your local beach 

health monitoring official:

• Which 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?

What to do if your beach is not 

monitored regularly:

• Avoid swimming after a heavy rain.

• Look for storm drains along the beach. Don’t 

swim near them.

• If the waters of your beach have been designated 

as a no-discharge zone for vessel sewage, check 

to see if boat pumpout facilities are available and 

working.

• Look for trash and such other signs of pollution 

as oil slicks in the water. These kinds of 

pollutants may indicate the presence of diseasecausing microorganisms that may also have been 

washed into the water.

• If you think your beach water is contaminated, 

contact your local health or environmental 

protection officials. It is important for them to 

know about suspected 

beach water 

contamination so they 

can protect citizens 

from exposure.

• Work with your local 

authorities to create a 

monitoring program.

A Message from the Administrator

Christine Todd Whitman

I believe water is the biggest 

environmental issue we face in 

the 21st Century in terms of 

both quality and quantity. In 

the 30 years since its passage, 

the Clean Water Act has 

dramatically increased the number 

of waterways that are once again 

safe for fishing and swimming. Despite this great 

progress in reducing water pollution, many of the 

nation’s waters still do not meet water quality goals. 

I challenge you to join with me to finish the business 

of restoring and protecting our nation’s waters for 

present and future generations.

For More 

Information

For more information about beach water quality 

advisories, contact your local or state health or 

environmental protection department. You can find 

the telephone number in the blue section of your local 

telephone directory. 

You may also contact:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Water

BEACH Program (4305T)

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20460

web address: www.epa.gov/ost/beaches
Disease-Causing Microorganisms in Sewage

Microorganisms Some Illnesses & Symptoms

Bacteria Gastroenteritis (includes diarrhea and abdominal pain), salmonellosis (food 

poisoning), cholera.

Viruses Fever, common colds, gastroenteritis, diarrhea, respiratory infections, hepatitis.

Protozoa Gastroenteritis, cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis (including diarrhea and abdominal 

cramps), dysentery.

Worms Digestive disturbances, vomiting, restlessness, coughing, chest pain, fever, diarrhea.

Is the water safe for swimming?

The water at the beach looks clean, but is it? It may be worth your while to find out before you or 

your children go swimming. The water at most beaches 

is safe for swimming, most of the time. However, you 

cannot be sure the beach water is safe unless it is tested 

because your beach water may contain disease-causing 

microorganisms that you cannot see.

Monitoring of beach water quality by local health and 

environmental officials is necessary to warn citizens when 

there is a problem. With the passage of the Beaches 

Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health 

(BEACH) Act on October 10, 2000, the Clean Water 

Act was amended to include significant new beach 

protection provisions. This new law authorizes a national 

grant program to assist state, tribal, and local governments in developing and implementing monitoring and 

public notification programs for their coastal recreation 

waters. It also requires states to adopt improved water 

quality standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators 

and requires EPA to conduct studies and develop 

improved microbiological water quality criteria guidance. 

In addition, the law requires EPA to develop performance criteria for monitoring, notification, and public 

information databases and requires other federal agencies 

to establish certain programs.

How does beach pollution affect you and 

your family?

Water can be polluted by different things. Trash, such as picnic plates, plastic bags and bottles, 

and cigarette butts is easy to see. It is often the things 

we can’t see, such as bacteria and other microorganisms, 

that we need to be more concerned about. If you or your 

family are exposed to these disease-causing organisms, 

they may make you sick.

Swimming or playing in 

unsafe water may result 

in minor illnesses such as 

sore throats or diarrhea. 

It also might result in 

more serious illnesses that 

may last longer than your 

vacation at the beach! 

Children, the elderly, and people with weakened 

immune systems have a greater chance of getting sick 

when they come in contact with contaminated water.

Where does this pollution come from?

The most frequent sources of disease-causing microorganisms are sewage overflows, polluted 

storm water runoff, sewage treatment plant malfunctions, 

boating wastes, and malfunctioning septic systems.

Pollution in beach water is often much higher during 

and immediately after rainstorms because water draining into the beach may be carrying sewage from overflowing sewage treatment systems. Rainwater also flows 

to our beaches after running off lawns, farms, streets, 

construction sites, and other urban areas, picking up 

animal waste, fertilizer, pesticides, trash, and many 

other pollutants. Many of these pollutants can end up in 

the water at our beaches.

BEACH Program

The BEACH Program will help reduce health risks to you and your family by minimizing your 

exposure to disease-causing microorganisms in the water 

where you swim or play. The BEACH Program is 

ensuring public access to information about the quality 

of their beach water. In addition, EPA is working with 

state, tribal, and local health and environmental officials 

to encourage use of faster tests to detect pollution as well 

as develop methods that will help predict when pollution 

may occur. With advance warning provided by the local 

authorities, you will be able to decide when and where 

to swim.

How do I get information about my 

beach?

State, tribal, and local health and environmental protection officials are responsible for monitoring 

the quality of water at our nation’s beaches. When 

they find a beach is contaminated they may post warnings or close the beach. Your local public health or 

environmental office can tell you if and when the water 

at your beach is monitored, who does it, and where the 

results are posted. Check with EPA’s “Beach Watch” 

website at www.epa/gov/OST/beaches or contact your 

city, county, or other local health officials listed in your 

local telephone book.