Fecal Matters: No-contact advisory issued for Golden Gardens, King County

BEACH program update

June 27 update: The estimated amount of sewage overflow near Golden Gardens Park is 165,000 gallons. Additional water samples were taken on June 26 by Seattle Public Utilities and results are anticipated  on June 27. 

You can get more updates by following Seattle Public Utilities' Twitter account. 

----------------------------------
June 26

Seattle and King County Public Health issued a no-contact health advisory on June 26 at Golden Gardens due to a 16,500 gallon sewage overflow. Signs have been posted at public access points, and the public is advised to avoid contact with the water in the affected area.

Contact with fecal contaminated waters can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections, and other illnesses. Children and the elderly may be more vulnerable to waterborne illnesses.

Stay updated on water quality at your beaches by following our Fecal Matters blog posts, connecting on Facebook, or joining our listserv.

Julianne Ruffner, our BEACH Program Manager, is available to answer questions:

Phone: 360-407-6154
Email: julianne.ruffner@ecy.wa.gov

Beach poop is everyone's business!

When the long-awaited warm weather finally makes its way to western Washington, people head to the beach…in droves. You pack the car with towels, chairs, a picnic, and the kids. The last thing you want to see when you get there is a “closed to swimming” sign.

Beaches close because of high levels of enterococci in the water. Enterococci are indicators of fecal bacteria and as you might have guessed, swimming in fecal bacteria is not only gross but can make you sick.

These bacteria are found in the intestinal tract of humans and animals. Fecal bacteria can make you sick when you ingest them or get them on your skin. If we find high levels of enterococci in the water that are above the safe swimming standard, we issue beach closures. We also inform the public that there is an increased risk of illness if they make contact with the contaminated water.

Know before you go!

We monitor select saltwater beaches weekly during the summer to help ensure that beachgoers stay healthy and are able to enjoy the water while at the beach. This summer, we’ve already had some beaches close due to elevated levels of fecal bacteria in the water. Before you head out to your favorite beach, go to our beach closure map to make sure that the water is safe for swimming!

Ecology's beach closure map.

Help keep poop off the beach

Fecal bacteria in the water can rise to unhealthy levels for many reasons. Here are some things you can do to help keep your beach clean:

Scoop the poop

If you bring your dog to the beach, pick up its poop, bag it, and throw it in the trash.

Bathroom breaks and swim diapers

Give children frequent bathroom breaks and put young children in swim diapers.

Don’t feed the birds

Pick up your trash and don’t feed the wildlife! While feeding the birds may be fun, it encourages birds to congregate in large numbers. This increases bird poop at the beach, which can effect water quality.

If you’re sick, stay out of the water

Swim only when well! Swimming while ill, especially with diarrhea, can transmit illness-causing bacteria to others.

Water quality standards update

Proposed changes could better protect human health and the environment

This time of year, most of us can’t wait to get into or on the water. Our state water quality standards are in place to make sure we can safely swim and boat in our waterbodies. Historically, we’ve kept Washington waters clean by measuring the presence of fecal coliform bacteria at beaches, lakes, rivers and streams. Fecal coliform has been used as an indicator of contaminants that can make us sick, like viruses and parasites.

Good water quality is important to all
who enjoy the outdoors in our great state.

However, there are now more precise bacteria testing methods available to identify when harmful pathogens are present, and we need your thoughts on making a change to how we measure water quality to keep our waterbodies safe for swimming and other recreation.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and many other states, have moved from fecal coliform testing to different bacteria standards. The Department of Ecology is following suit, proposing a transition to E. coli testing in freshwater and enterococci bacteria in saltwater. These tests are a more precise indicator of contaminants that can affect human health and the environment.

What’s affected, what isn’t

Water quality standards are used to determine compliance with the state’s wastewater discharge rules, permitting, monitoring, and prioritizing cleanup plans for waterbodies. The standards are not related to beach closures, which are managed by local health departments.

This rule update will not change the water quality testing for shellfish used by the Washington State Department of Health to classify shellfish as safe for consumption. Fecal c
oliform bacteria will continue to be measured in saltwater to protect shellfish harvesting areas, using standards set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Advisory committee feedback

Last October, Ecology announced the idea of changing the water quality standards and reached out to interested parties to weigh-in on the issue. Based on those responses, we convened a technical advisory team in January made up of members from regulated industries, environmental groups, and tribes.

Two children explore a beach in Birch Bay

The team assessed the current standards and recommended moving to the new standards. The team also helped Ecology anticipate what education and outreach will be needed as Washington transitions to the new testing methods.

We are now seeking comments from the public on the transition. The comment period is open now and runs through Sept. 14, 2018. There will be five public hearings for this rule proposal, including online webinars and in-person meetings in Tukwila and Spokane.

For a complete listing of the hearing dates and details, as well as the proposed language, visit Ecology’s Recreational Use Criteria rulemaking webpage.

Visit the water quality webpage for more on water quality standards and updates to these standards.

Puget Sound officially a No Discharge Zone

Puget Sound is a special place that provides natural and cultural resources and a place many people call home. The Sound is also home to thousands of species of plants and animals. The waters and beaches of Puget Sound are used for recreation. The area is also a place of commerce, as vessels conduct business around the clock, and shellfish are grown and harvested.

Because of it’s unique characteristics, the waters of Puget Sound don’t mix with the open ocean as much as other areas. When pollution enters the Sound, it often takes longer to move out or dilute. One burdensome source of pollution is sewage released from boats. Vessel sewage can contain bacteria and viruses that are harmful to people and the environment. These contaminants a harmful to water quality, beaches and shellfish beds. Eating shellfish that have been exposed to pollution can make people sick. The presence of one type of bacteria, fecal coliform, has closed shellfish beds throughout Puget Sound.

Creating a No Discharge Zone would protect shellfish beds, swimming beaches, and other areas that are especially vulnerable. Establishing an NDZ is a near term action on the Puget Sound Partnership's Action Agenda and is highlighted in the Washington Shellfish Initiative.  We researched and prepared the NDZ petition with a grant from the Washington Department of Health, funded by EPA’s National Estuary Program.

Protecting the Sound

Director Maia Bellon signing the No Discharge Zone
rule April 9, 2018

The Department of Ecology began steps to make Puget Sound a no discharge zone more than five years ago. To put the no discharge zone in place, we provided a draft proposal to the EPA and public comment. The draft drew more than 26,000 comments, of which more than 25,000 were in support of the NDZ. As a result of the comments, we further evaluated the economic effects of an NDZ. We also conducted computer modeling to learn how pollution could affect the Sound’s health. The models simulated release of vessels discharging sewage in six locations in Puget Sound and Salish Sea. We learned that in all cases, results showed that esturaries and the tides connect sensitive areas including shellfish beds.

With Ecology’s final proposal in 2016, EPA received more than 40,000 comments on the proposed Puget Sound NDZ. EPA approved the proposal in February 2017. On April 9, 2018 Ecology Director Maia Bellon signed the Puget Sound No Discharge Zone rule. The rule becomes effective May 10, 2018. There are 90 no discharge zones across 26 states. This zone is the first in Washington.

Under the historic new rule, vessels are prohibited from releasing any sewage (blackwater), treated or untreated, within Puget Sound. In addition to the discharge ban, the rule also establishes the boundaries of the NDZ, how to close marine sanitation devices, and enforcement authority

This is a historic day for the protection and restoration of Puget Sound. I have signed into law the Puget Sound No Discharge Zone. Vessels are no longer allowed to discharge their sewage into our waters.https://t.co/yITLrv3CLd pic.twitter.com/1qIkndFsfY

— Director Maia Bellon (@maiabellon) April 10, 2018

“Making Puget Sound a no-discharge zone for vessel sewage connects a missing piece in our strategy to clean up and restore the Sound,” said Heather Bartlett, the water quality program manager at Ecology. “This will prevent pollution from impacting the Sound and will protect human health and overall water quality.”

The Washington Department of Health expects to upgrade or open approximately 1,000 acres of commercial shellfish beds for harvesting near marinas with the establishment of the NDZ.

What this means for vessels
Starting May 10, vessels looking to release their sewage loads will need to use a pump-out station or discharge outside the zone. One question vessel owners and operators may have is the availability of pump-out stations. In its review of our proposal, EPA verified that Puget Sound has adequate pumpout facilities to handle the needs of the area. Our website contains information on pumpout options, including locations. You can also find additional information at pumpoutwashington.org.

While in the NDZ, vessels must secure their marine sanitation device.

Some commercial vessels will have until 2023 to comply with the new rule. Those vessels include tug boats, commercial fishing vessels, small commercial passenger vessels, as well as NOAA research and survey vessels. More on these types of vessels can be found on our website.

Under the new No Discharge Zone rule, there is no change to graywater dumping requirements.

Historic day as Puget Sound is designated a no discharge zone! The action will protect shellfish beds, swimming beaches, and other areas are that are especially vulnerable to bacteria in vessel sewage. https://t.co/Bip6yeYvnQ pic.twitter.com/JQDek8bW5s

— WA Dept of Ecology (@EcologyWA) April 10, 2018

Ecology and other agencies are emphasizing education for vessel owners and operators. These outreach and education efforts would be supported by the development of enforcement mechanisms among agencies that patrol waterways in the zone. For additional information about the Puget Sound No Discharge Zone, visit our website.

Fecal Matters: 2017 beach list available for your review

The state’s BEACH Program will soon begin testing the state’s most popular saltwater beaches for bacteria to help people avoid getting sick from playing in the water. The program is implemented by local health agencies, tribal nations, university coordinators, non-profits, and volunteers.

The proposed 2017 list of beaches that will be tested can be found here:

2017 draft beach list

Testing will occur weekly or bi-weekly from Memorial Day through Labor Day. We are accepting public comments on the proposed list of beaches to be tested until May 1, 2017.

Send your comments to julianne.ruffner@ecy.wa.gov, or call 360-407-6154.

More about BEACH

Learn about program updates, education, high bacteria counts, and beach closures by keeping up with us on Facebook, checking the beach closure map on Coastal Atlas, subscribing to our Fecal Matters RSS feed, or joining our email listserv. Contact BEACH Program Manager Julianne Ruffner with questions.

Fecal Matters: How'd your beach do in 2016?

Curious to see how your favorite beach fared for healthy swimming last year? See how the 2016 swimming season stacked up. In the BEACH Program 2016 Annual Report you'll find the top swimming beaches for water quality, beach water quality by county, and beaches that did not meet swimming standards.

Click to view the 2016 Annual BEACH Report

See the good, the best, and the "poopy" marine swimming beaches for last year. Did your favorite beach make the list for the top swimming beaches? Or, did it make the list of beaches that were closed to recreation due to high levels of fecal bacteria?

Why does it matter?

Anyone who uses marine beaches for recreational purposes such as swimming, scuba diving, surfing, or kayaking can be exposed to illness associated with water contaminated by sewage.

Contact with fecal contaminated waters can results in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections, and other illnesses. Children and the elderly may be more vulnerable to waterborne illnesses.

How does poop get in the water? 

Fecal bacteria get into the water in a number of ways. Some of it is natural, and a small amount of fecal bacteria does not pose a threat to public health.

Water at a beach can rise to an unhealthy level for many reasons. These include septic tanks that are not properly maintained, large amounts of sewage discharged from sewers overflowing during heavy rain or recreational boaters, wild animals congregating due to people feeding them, dogs pooping on beaches, used diapers being left on the beach, and others.

Click to learn how you can help keep your beach clean for swimming.

More about BEACH

The Beach Environmental Assessment, Communication, and Health program, nicknamed BEACH for short, monitors marine beaches from Memorial Day to Labor Day. This program is a joint effort with the Washington State Department of Health, county and local agencies, tribal nations, and volunteers.

The BEACH program helps keep swimmers healthy on the coast and across Puget Sound by testing marine beaches for fecal bacteria and issuing public beach closure notices if the results show the water might pose a health risk. BEACH does not test freshwater beaches located on rivers and lakes.

Click the map to see if your beach is open.
Remember, many beaches are only monitored Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Stay updated about water quality at your beaches by subscribing to our Fecal Matters RSS feed, checking the beach closure map on Coastal Atlas, or joining our email listserv. Contact BEACH program manager Julianne Ruffner with questions.

Water quality declining in Whatcom County – but work is underway

Water quality is the topic of many conversations in Whatcom County these days. And sometimes the conversations aren’t easy.

We live in a beautiful region of the state where we prize our views and waterways. It might surprise you that many of the waterways flowing through our communities are in trouble. Many tributaries and streams have high levels of fecal coliform bacteria, an indicator that disease-causing organisms are present. In fact, 80 percent of the sites that we monitor are failing to meet bacteria water quality standards.

Water contaminated with fecal coliform can make people sick. It’s a serious public health issue. It also threatens an important shellfish industry.

Last Friday, the Washington Department of Health announced restrictions on another 300 acres of Lummi Nation’s Portage Bay shellfish growing area—the second reclassification in two years. That means, for six months of the year, about 800 acres of the tribe’s treaty-protected shellfish growing area are off-limits to harvest. Their culture and way of life are impacted, and incomes threatened, as a food source becomes scarcer.

What are the sources of pollution?

Preventable sources of fecal coliform bacteria pollution include human and animal waste (poop!) from failing septic systems, pets, and livestock. Small sources might seem inconsequential, but it all adds up.

Working together to reverse the trend

We’ve been partnering with the community to develop an effective response to this growing concern. Formed in 2012, the Whatcom Clean Water Program is working with residents to identify and address fecal bacteria sources and prevent pollution. The group includes representatives from local, state, tribal and federal agencies. Each partner plays an important role:

       

• Washington Department of Agriculture regulates dairies.
• Ecology works with non-dairy agricultural properties – everything from commercial cattle operations, to crop farms that use manure, to small lifestyle farms. 
• Whatcom County Public Works leads a Pollution Identification and Correction (PIC) program.
• Whatcom County Health Department oversees a septic system inspection and maintenance program.
• Whatcom Conservation District offers education and resource management help to farmers and landowners.

We meet regularly to coordinate work, address challenges and share progress.

Everybody can help 

Individuals are the key to making progress. We can pick up our pet waste, manage manure on our properties, and keep our septic systems in working order. 

You can keep informed of current water quality. And if you're curious to know if your property is contributing, you can join a citizen monitoring program. 

Image courtesy of Whatcom Conservation District

Additional helpful tips are available on the Washington Waters Ours to Protect webpages.

Next time

Small successes add up: Learn how one family spruced up their farm to protect a nearby creek

By Krista Kenner, Communications Manager, NWRO-Bellingham Field Office

Pollution solution: Keep a clean beach, help keep shellfish harvests open

There’s poop on Washington beaches. Bird poop. Fish poop. Insect poop. Dog poop. Cat poop. And yes, there is people poop, too.

North Beach has suffered several shellfish harvest closures due to dangerously-high levels of fecal bacteria.

Beach poop comes in all shapes and sizes, but the vast majority is invisible. Beach poop can originate from many different sources, both human and animal. But whether it comes from humans, our pets and horses, or wildlife it adds fecal coliform bacteria to our beaches and shellfish beds. This directly affects our ability to harvest and enjoy razor clams.

Beach poop is everyone’s business. 

New beach study pinpoints sources

A new study released by our Environmental Assessment Program identifies levels of contamination and main sources of fecal coliform bacteria pollution along the Pacific coast--from Ocean Shores to the Moclips River--and offers solutions that residents and visitors can use to keep beaches safe from this problem. High levels of fecal coliform bacteria not only impact shellfish beds, but can make people and pets sick from exposure to contaminated water.

The North Beach Bacteria Study is a collaboration between Ecology, Washington Department of Health, the Quinault Indian Nation and local governments. Its aim is to improve downgraded shellfish areas and protect those that currently meet water quality standards.

“Maintaining healthy beaches and shellfish beds is everyone’s business,” says Lydia Wagner, our project coordinator on the study. “Beachgoers must be responsible for their own activities that contribute to bacteria pollution.”

The North Beach area receives tens of thousands of visitors during the summer months and clam digs, which creates an intermittent, heavy-use impact on beaches.

Do your part to keep the beach clean

For beach tourists, the study offers three easy tips they can use to keep Washington beaches clean and limit bacteria problems in shellfish areas:

1. Bag your pet waste and properly dispose of it
2. Pack out your picnic trash
3. Don’t feed wildlife

Learn more tips to be a good beach steward on our website. 

Local residents are also encouraged to maintain their home’s septic system. Regular maintenance supports clean beaches and helps avoid costly repairs later.

Dig deeper into the science

The study is the first step in creating a great resource for those interested in protecting Washington’s coastal beaches. Residents will understand how a damaged septic system can harm the beaches they love. Visitors will understand why packing out the beach poop, whether it’s actual poop or common litter, is important to maintaining the safe and healthy beaches they love to visit. 

There is a simple solution to the problem of common beach pollution: bag it up and pack it out.

By: Dave Bennett, communications manager

Fecal Matters: How'd your beach do in 2015?

Curious to see how your favorite beach fared for healthy swimming last year? See how the 2015 swimming season stacked up. In the BEACH Program 2015 Annual Report you'll find the top swimming beaches for water quality, beach water quality by county, and beaches that did not meet swimming standards.

View the BEACH Program 2015 Annual Report

See the good, the best, and the "poopy" marine swimming beaches for last year. Did your favorite beach make the list for the top swimming beaches? Or, did it make the list of beaches that were closed to recreation due to high levels of fecal bacteria?

Why does it matter?

Anyone who uses marine beaches for recreational purposes such as swimming, scuba diving, surfing or kayaking can be exposed to illness associated with water contaminated by sewage.

Contact with fecal contaminated waters can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. Children and the elderly may be more vulnerable to waterborne illnesses.

How does poop get in the water?

Fecal bacteria get into the water in a number of ways. Some of it is natural, and a small amount of fecal bacteria does not pose a threat to public health.

Water at a beach can rise to an unhealthy level for many reasons. These include septic tanks that are not properly maintained, large amounts of sewage discharged from sewers overflowing during heavy rain or recreational boaters, wild animals congregating due to people feeding them, dogs pooping on beaches, used diapers being left on the beach, and others.

More about BEACH

The Beach Environmental Assessment, Communication, and Health program, nicknamed BEACH for short, monitors marine beaches from Memorial Day to Labor Day. This program is a joint effort with the Washington State Department of Health and county and local agencies, tribal nations, and volunteers.

The BEACH program helps keep swimmers healthy on the coast and across Puget Sound by testing marine beaches for fecal bacteria and issuing public beach closure notices if the results show the water might pose a health risk. BEACH does not test freshwater beaches located on rivers and lakes.

Click the map to see if your beach is open.
Remember, many beaches are only monitored Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Stay updated about water quality at your beaches by subscribing to our Fecal Matters RSS feed, checking the beach closure map on Coastal Atlas, or joining our listserv. Contact BEACH program manager Debby Sargeant with questions.

Fecal Matters: 2016 beach list available for your review

The state’s BEACH Program will soon begin testing the state’s most popular saltwater beaches for bacteria to help people avoid getting sick from playing in the water. The program is implemented by local health agencies, tribal nations, university coordinators, non-profits, and volunteers.

The proposed 2016 list of beaches that will be tested can be found here: 

2016 draft beach list

Testing will occur weekly or bi-weekly from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The program is accepting public comments about the proposed beach list until May 1, 2016.

Send your comments to debby.sargeant@ecy.wa.gov, or call (360) 407-6139.

More about BEACH

Learn about program updates, education, high bacteria counts, and beach closures by keeping up with us on Facebook, checking the beach closure map on Coastal Atlas, subscribing to our Fecal Matters RSS feed, or joining our listserv. The BEACH Program Manager Debby Sargeant is available for questions.

Fecal Matters: 2014 marine swimming beach results are in!

Curious to see how your favorite beach fared for healthy swimming last year? See how the 2014 swimming season stacked up. In the BEACH Program 2014 Annual Report you'll find the top swimming beaches for water quality, beach water quality by county, and beaches that did not meet swimming standards.

View the BEACH Program 2014 Annual Report

See the good, the best, and the "poopy" marine swimming beaches for 2014. Did your favorite beach make the list for the top swimming beaches? Or, did it make the list of beaches that were closed to recreation due to high levels of fecal bacteria?

Why does it matter?

Anyone who uses marine beaches for recreational purposes such as swimming, scuba diving, surfing or kayaking can be exposed to illness associated with water contaminated by sewage. Contact with fecal contaminated waters can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. Children and the elderly may be more vulnerable to waterborne illnesses.

How does poop get in the water?

Fecal bacteria get into the water in a number of ways. Some of it is natural, and a small amount of fecal bacteria does not pose a threat to public health. Water at a beach can rise to an unhealthy level for many reasons.

These include septic tanks that are not properly maintained, large amounts of sewage discharged from sewers overflowing during heavy rain or recreational boaters, wild animals congregating due to people feeding them, dogs pooping on beaches, used diapers being left on the beach, and others. Learn how you can help keep your beach clean on our website.

More about BEACH

The Beach Environmental Assessment, Communication, and Health program, nicknamed BEACH for short, monitors marine beaches from Memorial Day to Labor Day. This program is a joint effort with the Washington State Department of Health and county and local agencies, tribal nations, and volunteers.

The BEACH program helps keep swimmers healthy on the coast and across Puget Sound by testing marine beaches for fecal bacteria and issuing public beach closure notices if the results show the water might pose a health risk. BEACH does not test freshwater beaches located on rivers and lakes.

Click the map to see if your beach is open.
Remember, many beaches are only monitored Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Stay updated about water quality at your beaches by subscribing to our Fecal Matters RSS feed, checking the beach closure map on Coastal Atlas, or joining our listserv. You can contact the BEACH program manager Debby Sargeant with questions.

Fecal Matters: How we’re protecting your summer beach experience

Len Adams and Janice Jensen of Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

By Sandy Howard, communication manager, Environmental Assessment Program

The next time you get your feet wet at any of our state’s popular saltwater beaches, you might want to know that there are people working behind-the-scenes to keep the water healthy for you and your friends and family.

It’s a behind-the-scenes, little-known service we provide.

We think it’s an important story to tell.

During the past year, the Washington state BEACHProgram and its local partner, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, discovered a significant fecal bacteria problem in Puget Sound’s Marine Park near the Les Davis Pier on the Ruston Way waterfront.

Why it matters

This is a big deal for you because if you come in contact with fecal-contaminated waters, you can get a bad stomach ache called gastroenteritis. You could also get skin rashes, upper respiratory infections, or other illnesses. Children and the elderly may be more vulnerable to waterborne illnesses.

Did you know?

The state’s BEACH Program this summer is testing 58 of the state’s most popular saltwater beaches for bacteria to help people avoid getting sick from playing in the water.

The federally funded, state-run BEACH (Beach Environmental Assessment, Communication and Health) Program notifies the public when beaches are a health risk and educates people about ways to avoid getting sick from playing in saltwater.

BEACH enlists help from many partners, mostly local health departments, to collect water samples and get them laboratory tested.

When BEACH finds bacteria problems, BEACH not only protects the public by notifying them about closures, but it works with local jurisdictions to clean up the area.

A real example

Just about a year ago, on May 24, 2013, through BEACH, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department issued a no-contact advisory for the waters at Cummings Park and Marine Park along Ruston Way in Tacoma due to high bacteria counts.

The public was warned to make no contact with water until further notice.This was a big deal. The waters here are popular for scuba diving and paddle boarding.

To its credit, the city of Tacoma, in coordination with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, got busy and quickly found the source of the problem. It turned out that there was a blocked sewage pipe that was serving several homes located on the hillside above Marine Park.

“We work very hard to protect water quality,” said Tacoma Environmental Services Director Mike Slevin. “Once alerted we were able to respond and fix issues and concerns very quickly.”

The clogged pipe had been clogged for some time. By the time the sewage sleuthing ended, the city identified a large area of land that needed to be cleaned up, including land owned and operated by a railroad company.

Debby Sargeant, who runs the BEACH Program, said: “The sewage overflow was going into a ditch line alongside the railroad tracks.”

Thankfully, BEACH and their local partners found the problem.

In early October 2013, the city of Tacoma cleaned the sewage spill by removing soils.

It was costly, but the health department received $5,600 in National Estuary Program (NEP) funds to help pay for its routine sampling at Ruston, as well investigation and coordination work regarding the sewage overflow. The funding also helped pay for other community outreach efforts.

The beach is open to the public and the Health Department has removed the advisory signs.

All is well now, so we can play once again in these waters.

You can thank your government – it stepped in to protect us.

Learn more

You can follow the latest beach closure at Ecology’s Twitter handle @ecologyWA

Sign up to receive BEACH’s email alerts at:  http://listserv.wa.gov/cgi-bin/wa?A0=BEACH or follow our blog series,“Fecal Matters,” which contains the latest information about saltwater beach closures and openings.

---

Fecal Matters: Closure Removed for Drayton Harbor near Blaine, WA.

BEACH Program Update

On October 25, 2013, the Whatcom County Health Department removed the closure for Drayton Harbor at California Creek after follow-up sampling was completed. The closure was issued October 18, 2013 due to a manure spill that discharged to the creek.

Visit the BEACH web site to find the latest results for these and other saltwater beaches: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/beach/

Stay updated about water quality at your beaches by keeping up with us on our blog Fecal Matters, on Facebook, or join our listserv.

Julie Lowe is the BEACH Program Manager and can be reached at julie.lowe@ecy.wa.gov

---

Fecal Matters: Closure Issued for Drayton Harbor at California Creek near Blaine, WA.

BEACH Program Update

On October 18, 2013, the Whatcom County Health Department issued a closure for Drayton Harbor at California Creek. The closure was issued due to a manure spill that discharged to the creek. The public is to have no contact with the water until further notice.

Contact with fecal contaminated waters can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections, and other illnesses. Children and the elderly may be more vulnerable to waterborne illnesses.

Stay updated about water quality at your beaches by keeping up with us on our blog Fecal Matters, on Facebook, or join our listserv.

Julie Lowe is the BEACH Program Manager and is available at 360-407-6543 or julie.lowe@ecy.wa.gov for questions.

---

Fecal Matters: No Contact Advisory for Irondale Beach, Jefferson County, WA

BEACH Program Update

On May 1, 2013, Jefferson County Public Health issued a no contact advisory for Irondale Beach near Port Hadlock, WA. The advisory was issued due to high E. coli bacteria counts in a creek which empties onto the beach.

Contact with fecal contaminated waters can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. Children and the elderly may be more vulnerable to waterborne illnesses.

Stay updated about water quality at your beaches by keeping up with us on Facebook, checking beach status on Coastal Atlas, or joining our listserv. Christopher Clinton is the interim BEACH Program Manager and is available at 360-407-6154 or christopher.clinton@ecy.wa.gov for questions.

---

Fecal Matters: No Contact Advisory Issued for Drayton Harbor in Whatcom County, WA

BEACH Program Update

On April 12, 2013, the Whatcom County Public Health Department with Washington State Department of Health issued a no contact advisory for all of Drayton Harbor near Blaine, WA. The closure was issued due to high fecal bacteria in California and Dakota Creeks which empty into the harbor. The public is warned not to harvest shellfish or make contact with the water until further notice.

Contact with fecal contaminated waters can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. Children and the elderly may be more vulnerable to waterborne illnesses.

Stay updated about water quality at your beaches by keeping up with us on our blog Fecal Matters, on Facebook, or join our listserv.

Christopher Clinton is the interim BEACH Program Manager and is available at 360-407-6154 or christopher.clinton@ecy.wa.gov for questions.

---

Stories about Getting to Clean Water: Stormwater Sleuths Solve the Mystery of the Putrid Pipe - Pullman’s hunt for the elusive, illicit discharge

By Diane Dent, Water Quality Stories Lead, Water Quality Program

Dye testing to determine illicit connection of a sanitary sewer to a stormwater outfall.
Photo credit: Pullman Stormwater Services

The illicit stormwater discharge often lurks out of sight under a city’s buildings and streets. The challenge for cities, regulated under the state’s Municipal Stormwater Permit, is to locate and eliminate this pollution source.

Problem

In every city across the nation, mistakes happen during construction. After all, when you are connecting pipes underground they all pretty much look the same. But it is important to make sure the drains from sinks and toilets lead to the sanitary sewer and not the stormwater sewer. A misconnection could mean raw sewage going directly to a stream without treatment. An illicit discharge is any discharge to a stormwater system that is not composed entirely of stormwater.

City crews working on an infrastructure replacement project in Pullman’s downtown business district noticed “suspicious material”. The obviously illicit connection was traced back to a historic office building. A true team effort of private contractors and public staff was required to fully unravel the mystery.

• To learn more about this illicit discharge, read this full story online
• Story written by Elaine Snouwaert, Ecology Eastern Regional Office

Telling our success stories

Water quality success stories provide a wealth of information associated with novel project designs, funding ideas, and useful resource suggestions. Some are clear successes; others supply valuable lessons to help us grow in our understanding of water quality protection and restoration. Stories illustrate successes gained from cooperation among Washington’s citizens and organizations.

Read all of our Ecology's water quality success stories, and check out our complete catalog of stories.

---

Fecal Matters: Twanoh State Park is Open for Swimming

BEACH Program Update

Twanoh State Park in Mason County is open for swimming. Additional samples collected show bacteria concentrations have dropped to background levels. Beach closure signs previously posted on August 5, 2011 were removed today.

Visit the BEACH web site to find the latest results for these and other saltwater beaches: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/beach/

Stay updated about water quality at your beaches by keeping up with us on our blog Fecal Matters, on Facebook, or join our listserv.

Julie Lowe is the BEACH Program Manager and can be reached at julie.lowe@ecy.wa.gov

---