Weekly beach sampling results for Walton County

Special to The Sun

WALTON COUNTY WEEKLY BEACHSAMPLING RESULTS

~ No Advisories Issued for This Sampling Period~

WALTONCOUNTY - The Florida Department of Health in Walton County (DOH-Walton) conducts regularly scheduled saltwater beach water quality monitoring at seven sites through the Healthy Beaches Monitoring Program. Samples are collected from March through the end of October. The water samples are analyzed for enteric bacteria (enterococci) that normally inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and animals, which may cause human disease, infections, or rashes. The presence of enteric bacteria is an indication of fecal pollution, which may come from storm water runoff, pets and wildlife, and human sewage. The purpose of the Healthy Beaches Monitoring Program is to determine whether Florida has significant coastal beach water quality problems and whether future beach monitoring efforts are necessary. 

Site

Name

Enterococci

Water Quality

SP-1

MiramarBeach

4

Good

SP-3

Dune Allen Beach

4

Good

SP-4

BlueMountain Beach

4

Good

SP-5

GraytonBeach

12

Good

SP-7

HollyStreet Beach

4

Good

SP-8

Eastern Lake Beach

4

Good

SP-9

InletBeachAccess

4

Good

Water quality classifications are based upon United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) recommended criteria and Florida Healthy Beaches Program Categories:

Good = 0 - 35 Enterococci per 100 ml of marine

Moderate = 36 - 104 Enterococci per 100 ml of marine water

Poor = greater than 105 Enterococci per 100 ml of marine water

If you should have any questions, please contact DOH-Walton at (850) 892-8021 or visit the Florida Department of Health’s Beach Water Quality website www.floridahealth.gov/healthy-environments/beach-water-quality/index.html.