Blue Water Task Force
Communicating the importance of water quality and public health. Learn why water quality is important to our health and how you can help protect your local beach community.
While testing in Imperial Beach varies due to volunteer availability, the continuous daily outflow of sewage and beach closures continues. For more information regarding our advocacy for clean water in the South Bay, check out our Clean Border Water Now page and/or sign up to attend our next meeting.
For up-to-date water quality results in IB and the South Bay, please visit sdbeachinfo.com. The County tests South Bay water quality at an elevated schedule (daily at many locations). For info on how to find specific water quality samples in the South Bay and beyond, check out this blog post.
Where else can I see the current status of beach water in San Diego County?
The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health Quality (DEHQ) maintains a robust Beach & Bay Water Quality Program, which includes weekly water quality testing at beaches and bays all over the County. Timely beach water quality results are posted on sdbeachinfo.com.
Other Local Water Quality Information & Resources:
Why do your sites vary week after week?
We rely on dedicated volunteers to take samples, test and run the entire Blue Water Task Force Program. While we strive for consistency, lack of volunteer availability sometimes leads to missing test sites. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer water sampler at a beach near you, please email BWTF@sandiego.surfrider.org
What is the difference between the Blue Water Task Force Program and the County of San Diego's Beach & Bay Water Quality Program?
Our BWTF & the Beach & Bay Water Quality Program both test recreational waterways throughout the county for bacteria levels. The mission is to notify the public of results/health risks so they can make an informed decision about where to swim.
The BWTF uses IDEXX Enterolert/Quanti-tray Sealer methodology to measure enterococcus bacteria levels in water samples. This method is an EPA-approved method for sampling recreational waters and is easy for volunteers and students to learn and use competently. Bacteria results are obtained after a 24 hour sample incubation period. Unless otherwise noted, BWTF samples on Thursdays in order to provide test results by Friday afternoon, just in time for the weekend. BWTF is not intended to compete with the County’s much more robust testing schedule; it’s meant to supplement it.
The Beach & Bay Water Quality Program uses a droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) method. The ddPCR method is more sensitive than a culture method and impacted less by environmental factors, allowing it to be more accurate in measuring bacteria and illness risk, and more protective of public health. The ddPCR method provides faster, same-day results. When bacteria levels exceed State health standards and prompt advisories or closures, DEHQ is able to lift them faster by using ddPCR. County testing is done on different days for different locations.
What do the different signs at the beach mean?
- Advisory - An advisory is issued when the beach water exceeds State bacterial standards.
- Warning - A warning is issued when the beach water exceeds State bacterial standards and there is a south swell (transboundary flows), which may bring sewage contaminated water.
- Closure - A closure is issued when there are sewage or chemical releases, when the Tijuana River is flowing, or when sewage can be detected by water odor or discoloration.
