Recreational Water Quality

After rainfall, all Anne Arundel County beaches are under a no swimming/no direct water contact advisory for 48 hours, due to predicted high bacteria levels. (preemptive advisory)

The Department of Health issues advisories against recreational use of water areas when a sewage spill, leak or other problem indicates that human waste is in the water. Current closings and advisories are listed below. Lab results from collected water samples take at least two working days to process. Closings and advisories remain in effect until results meet acceptable levels for two or more consecutive days. Acceptable levels are determined by the State, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Anne Arundel County Department of Health.

Anne Arundel County Recognized for Exemplary Public Notification Program
In a 2007 report, "What's In Your Water? The State of Public Notification in 11 U.S. States," American Rivers recognized the County Department of Health's e-mail alerts, Web site and telephone hotline as important sources of information for the public. The report calls Anne Arundel County's notification program "exemplary" and a model for other counties in distributing information about beach closures and sewage spills. See page 29 of "What's In Your Water?"

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