Each week, health department teams across Virginia take to the area beaches to search for a culprit that could dampen your day of fun in the sun.
Starting early in the morning, team members go beach by beach taking samples of the water on the coast. They’re looking for enterococci bacteria. If there’s too much of it in the water, you don’t want to swim there.
Enterococci bacteria is a sign that fecal matter is in salt and brackish water. While this bacteria is not harmful itself, it often is an indicator of other bacteria or organisms that can cause health issues if swallowed. The most common recreational water illnesses are gastrointestinal and may cause vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain or fever. These organisms can also cause respiratory issues and infections if a swimmer has an open wound.
If levels are found to be too high — or above 104 MPN (most probable number) per 100 mL — then officials have to issue a swimming advisory. Results from samples typically take about 24 hours, so testing is done early in the week to get any notices out before the weekend.
The Virginia Department of Health tests bacteria levels in beach water at 49 public beaches in Virginia during the swimming season, or from May to September. In Hampton Roads, this is done by local health departments. Public health officials in Norfolk test on Mondays, and other parts of the region do their testing on Tuesday.
“We don’t, a lot of times, know what’s behind a high level of bacteria,” said Danielle Schools, director of the division of shellfish safety and waterborne hazards at VDH. “It could be from storm water drain discharge, it could be from human sewage. It could be from dog poop. You know, there’s a reason why a lot of times, dogs are not allowed on beaches.”
Another potential cause is a heavy rain, she said. According to the department, bacteria levels are likely to be high after a storm — like those that dampened the region Wednesday — and disease-causing organisms are more likely to be present after rainfall because of pollution from land runoff. In rural areas, runoff from agriculture could raise bacteria levels higher than state standards.
“Virginia Beach has a local ordinance where they actually close the beach, so that means do not go in the water,” Schools said. “But swimming advisories are just that — they’re just advisories. You’re not going to get a ticket if you go in the water, but it’s highly advisable that you don’t, because the bacterial load has been exceeded.”
Health officials have already issued numerous swimming advisories this year across the region. If a beach is found to have high bacteria levels, monitoring teams will go back out the next day to collect follow-up water samples. Many advisories are lifted within one to two days, but others can remain in place for longer if levels remain too high.
Beach-goers are also encouraged to swim away from fishing piers, pipes, drains and water flowing from storm drains onto a beach. Pet waste, diapers and other trash should be disposed of properly, and showering with soap after swimming helps remove potential disease-causing organisms.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency distributed more than $900,000 in grant funding to monitor water quality at beaches on the East Coast. As part of the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act, or BEACH Act, Virginia received $271,000.
Schools said the funding is routine, but it will continue to support bacteria testing programs across the state. Funding also helps support tools like VDH’s beach advisory map, which lays out which beaches in Virginia may have advisories and what bacteria levels had been measured there. Schools said this makes information about water quality more accessible and easily updated, especially for families planning a beach day in Hampton Roads.
“The Mid-Atlantic states boast beautiful coastlines that draw countless visitors to enjoy the waters and local attractions,” EPA Region 3 Administrator Amy Van Blarcom-Lackey said in a statement. “With this funding, EPA helps our regions’ beaches remain welcoming and safe and fulfills the agency’s mission to protect human health and the environment.”
Eliza Noe, eliza.noe@virginiamedia.com
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