Shellfish Sanitation and Recreational Water Quality Section
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Department of Environment and
Natural Resources
Slide 2
N.C. Recreational Water Quality Program Mission To protect the
public health by monitoring the quality of North Carolinas Coastal
recreational waters and notifying the public when bacteriological
standards for safe bodily contact are exceeded.
Slide 3
Recreational Water Quality Program Started in 1997 in response
to public concern regarding coastal swimming waters. NRDC labeled
NC a Beach Bum state Became mandated by the E.P.A. in October 2000.
BEACH Act requires that all coastal states monitor swimming waters.
Monitors coastal recreational waters including ocean beaches,
sounds, bays and estuarine rivers.
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Tier Based Monitoring Categorized based on usage during the
swimming season April 1 through October 31 Tier I: Daily Use Tier
II: Average Use (3 Days / Week) Tier III: Average Use (4 Days /
Month) All these areas are monitored on a reduced schedule during
the off season Nov 1 through Mar 31 Combined 241 swimming areas
that are monitored
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Slide 6
Why are we monitoring? Bacterial and viral
gastroenteritisBacterial and viral gastroenteritis Salmonella,
E.coli, and HepatitisSalmonella, E.coli, Norovirus and Hepatitis
Parasitic protozoansParasitic protozoans Giardia and
CryptosporidiumGiardia and Cryptosporidium Flu-like symptoms
Flu-like symptoms Abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever,
nauseaAbdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea Ear, nose, throat
and skin infections Ear, nose, throat and skin infections
Salmonella Cryptosporidium Skin Rash
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What are we monitoring for? Indicator of fecal
contaminationIndicator of fecal contamination Are found in the gut
of all warm blooded animalsAre found in the gut of all warm blooded
animals Do not cause illness but are associated with pathogenic
organismsDo not cause illness but are associated with pathogenic
organisms Mandated by EPAMandated by EPA Bacteria More specifically
Enterococci Enterococci
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Two Primary Types of Public Notifications Bacteriological
Monitoring notifications can be issued by: Swimming Advisories
include an issued press release and a sign being posted on the
beach warning swimmers of potential risk. OR Swimming Alerts
include an issued press release with NO sign
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Action Levels for Posting Swimming Advisories Tier I Exceeds
500 enterococci per 100 ml upon initial sample Geometric Mean
exceeds 35 /100 ml for 5 samples collected within 30 days.
Triplicate Sites 2 out of the 3 samples collected exceed 104
enterococci per 100 ml. Tier II Exceeds 500 enterococci per 100 ml
upon initial sample Tier III
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Swimming Alerts Pending Advisories based upon immediate
resample results Typically last for 24 hours Tier I exceeds 104
enterococci per 100 ml, but is less than 500. If resample is
>104 than Alert becomes Advisory. Tier II exceeds 276
enterococci per 100 ml, but is less than 500. if resample is
>276 than Alert becomes Advisory.
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Precautionary Advisories Supporting data not required
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Wet Weather Storm Drains
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Discharging of Flood Waters onto Beach
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Dredge Disposal From Closed Shellfish Waters Being Placed on
Beaches
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Waste Water Collection System Failures Sewer Lines Manholes
Lift Station
Process of Public Notification First step is to notify local
town managers and county Health Director Second step is to prepare
& finalize press release Finally, notification is posted on
program webpage and Twitter @ncrecprgm All data is updated on
webpage daily
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Potential Animal Sources to Local Recreational Swimming
Areas
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Center for Watershed Protection
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Potential Human Sources to Local Recreational Swimming
Areas
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Overview of Swimming Notification on Topsail Beach Site S25A
Serenity Point Public access #S-1 at end of Shoreline Dr.
(sound-side station) 2014 Alerts Issued July 15 and July 29 2012
Alert May 8 2011 Under Advisory for 7 days from Sept 7 to Oct 5
(exceeded the monthly logarithmic average) 2010 Alert September 29
2009 Alert June 25
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http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/recreational-water-quality
Click Here