Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Services began regular ocean water monitoring in September of 1996. The ocean water monitoring program was established in response to public concerns about the deteriorating ocean water quality, and the need to protect the public's health.
Currently, twenty beaches between Rincon and Guadalupe Dunes are
monitored weekly for three indicator bacteria. Samples are collected 25 yards down
current from the creek mouth, in ankle-to-knee deep surf zone water.
Sampling is performed usually on Mondays, with the results available 24 to 36 hours later.
Re-samples of beaches that did not meet state bacteriological standards are taken
usually on Wednesdays.
The ocean water sample results are available to the public in the following ways:
With the implementation of Assembly Bill 411 in July of 1999, the County of Santa Barbara is required to sample public beaches, post warning signs when the standards are exceeded, and and close the beach if there is a sewage spill. California state regulations mandate that total coliform, fecal coliform, and enterococcus are to be used as indicator bacteria for monitoring marine recreational water quality.
When is a beach placed on WARNING
status?
If a water sample fails to meet one or more of the health standards, a WARNING status for
the beach will be issued. Yellow WARNING signs stating "Warning!
Ocean Water Contact May Cause Illness! Bacteria Levels Exceed Health Standards."
will be posted at the beach. Health standards are exceeded when:
*Most Probable Number = Bacterial count per 100 ml of water
When a beach is listed under WARNING status, swimmers should stay a minimum of 50 yards
away from creek mouths and storm drains.
A beach will be CLOSED only in the case of a sewage spill or at
the discretion of the County Health Officer if there is an imminent public health concern.
Red signs stating "KEEP OUT. Sewage Contaminated Water. Contact with Water
May Cause Illness." will be posted at the beach.
When a beach is listed under CLOSED status, stay at least 1/4 of a mile away from both
sides of the creek mouths and storm drains.
Microorganisms are a natural component of the environment, and they also inhabit the intestinal tracts of birds and mammals. When these bacteria are released into the environment, there is a chance that they may cause illnesses in people who come in contact with contaminated water.
Indicator bacteria are selected groups of microorganisms which are found to indicate the liklihood of the presence of disease-causing pathogens. It is difficult to detect every pathogenic organism in the water due to the wide array of the microbes in the natural environment. As a solution, indicator organisms are used beacuse they are easy to detect. It is important to realize that indicator bacteria only suggest the presence of disease-causing organisms, and generally are not pathogenic themselves. The indicator bacteria currently used by the state health standards are total coliform, fecal coliform, and enterococcus.
Total coliforms consist of a large group of
bacteria that may inhabit the intestial tracts of both humans and animals. They may
also be found in water as well as occurring naturally on leaves and in the soil.
Fecal coliforms are a subgroup of total coliform bacteria. Their
presence is highly correlated with fecal contamination from warm-blooded animals.
Enterococcus, sometimes referred to as fecal streptococcus, is also an
intestinal bacterium used to indicate fecal contamination from mammals and birds.
Swimming in water with sewage contamination or elevated bacterial
levels may increase the risk of contracting illnesses such as skin rashes, diarrhea, and
ear infections.
Past studies show that as the indicator bacteria levels increase, the
swimming-associated illness rate increases. Several studies have established a
statistically significant relationship between increasing bacterial levels and increased
rates of illness.
When a beach is listed under WARNING status, swimmers should stay a minimum of 50 yards away from creek mouths and storm drains. When a beach is listed under CLOSED status, stay at least 1/4 of a mile away from both sides of the creek mouths and storm drains. Also please remember to do the following at all times: