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Updated 5.9.08
Phone: 410-222-7241
Fact Sheet: Water Quality, Health Risks and Swimming or Fishing In Anne Arundel County Rivers and Creeks. After rainfall, all Anne Arundel County beaches are under a no swimming/no direct water contact advisory for 48 hours due to predicted elevated bacteria levels from rainwater runoff and increased health risks. During the summer swim season, the Recreational Water Quality Monitoring Program will resume its routine sampling following the 48-hour period. Water Quality Monitoring ProgramFrom Memorial Day to Labor Day, the Anne Arundel County Department of Health takes water samples from area waterways. The water is tested for enterococci, bacteria that come from the intestine of all warm-blooded animals. Enterococci are used to indicate water quality trends in recreational water. Water quality results are updated weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's criteria of location, use, ecological factors, pollution sources and risk of contamination. Results are reported as MPN (most probable number) of bacteria colonies present in the water. Some results are reported as running averages and others are reported as single sample results.The presence of enterococci does not always indicate a public health threat. Many factors can affect readings. Rainwater runoff, waterfowl and tidal action can cause high results that nature will fix in a day or two. |
Anne Arundel County Department of Health, 3 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, Maryland 21401, 410-222-7095