Last updated: August 9, 2021
The Department of Health was recognized at the 2011 National Awards of Excellence in Public Health Communications, sponsored by the National Public Health Information Coalition. The Department received a Gold Award in the Social Media – Internet/New Media (In-House Production) category for its recreational water quality campaign, including the use of Facebook, Twitter, website announcements and e-alerts to inform the public of waterway closings and advisories.
Popular Sandy Point Beaches Receive High Ratings
National Report Recognizes Good Public Notification and Water Quality
In the 2010 report, “Testing the Waters,” the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) rated 200 of the most popular U.S. beaches, including two public Anne Arundel County beaches. The beaches, Sandy Point State Park’s East Beach and South Beach, each received four out of five stars. Factors that contributed to the ratings included good water quality over the past three years as well as quick and effective notification of the public if water quality was below acceptable standards. The Department of Health was recognized for promptly posting water quality information both online and at the beach.
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?”