EPA conducts research to ensure that beaches, lakes and other recreational waters are safe for human use. Chemical contaminants and disease-causing microorganisms are monitored in waters to ensure human health is not affected through recreational activities such as swimming or boating. This research builds a strong scientific foundation for up-to-date recreational water quality criteria designed to protect swimmers from illness due to exposure to pathogens in recreational waters.

Links

• Science Matters: Keeping Beaches Safe… with Statistics
• Virtual Beach Tool
• Same-Day Monitoring Method for Recreational Water
• News: Digging in Beach Sand Linked to Increased Risk of Gastrointestinal Illness
• Beaches Research Fact Sheet (2009)
• Water Quality Standards: Recreational Water Quality Criteria