The Washington Department of Ecology starting testing the waters at Golden Gardens today. The testing is part of the Beach Environment Assessment, Communication and Health (BEACH) program which tests popular saltwater beaches for bacteria that can make people sick.
Cathy Phillips from King Co. Public Health collecting water at Golden Gardens
Christopher Clinton, BEACH program manager, says they’re specifically testing for fecal bacteria, often a result of stormwater runoff from Ballard. “We’re looking for wildlife pollution or sewage,” Clinton explained. “During the wintertime when there’s excessive rain, we have spills from the sewage infrastructure. In this area, that’s our main concern.” He says heavy rains are usually the catalyst for higher levels of bacteria, but that considering the urban area of Ballard, the presence of bacteria is typically pretty low at Golden Gardens. If there are high levels of bacteria in the water, they will put up signs at the beaches to alert people of the dangers of swimming. Clinton says swimming in waters with fecal bacteria could lead to GI-tract problems or viruses.
Ballard resident Cathy Phillips from King County Public Health was out collecting the samples today, which she’ll do every week from now until Labor Day. She collects three samples from our beach each Monday; one from the area directly in front of the small creek that empties into the Puget Sound on the south end of the beach, one from near the bathhouse, and another from the north end of the beach. Phillips then collects samples from Alki and Carkeek Park, and all are tested for levels of bacteria. The findings are typically posted on Tuesdays on the BEACH program website.
The BEACH testing program is jointly coordinated by the Washington Department of Ecology and Health, and happens every year between May and September. BEACH tests 67 different beaches in Washington state every summer. To learn more about the program, click here.
