Why isn beachwater testing sufficient?
Even beachwater that is regularly monitored for pollution is not necessarily safe. The tests take 24 to 48 hours to produce results, and even then, many beaches re-test rather than close or issue an advisory. The tests also are not designed to protect the public against the full range of waterborne illnesses or to protect sensitive populations. The current EPA standards are based on the assumption that 19 out of 1,000 people swimming in ocean water meeting this standard will become ill, and that eight out of 1,000 people who swim in the Great Lakes will become ill.
