SOUTHERN MARYLAND — With Marylanders now fully enjoying summer, the Maryland Department of the Environment is hoping to help people avoid one major disappointment: showing up to find beaches closed due to poor water quality.
The Department of the Environment works alongside county health departments to monitor 150 swimming areas in natural bodies of water across the state from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Residents and guests can use the Check My Beach tool for the most up-to-date information.
According to the department’s website, a variety of factors can affect water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Pollution caused by runoff after storms, trash, debris or sewage can all impact water quality, in addition to boat waste and waste from pets and agriculture.
The main concern for water monitoring is bacteria, since it can make people sick when they swim. Natural bodies of water often have some levels of bacteria because they support living ecosystems. Humans, too, have different levels of natural bacteria in our bodies. Water monitoring tracks when bacteria levels are too high for human safety or there are bacteria types that mammals can’t tolerate.
A man in Annapolis last summer reported falling victim to the “flesh-eating” bacteria, which turned out to be Aeromonas hydrophila, an antibiotic-resistant necrotizing fasciitis bacteria.
More commonly, beaches will close temporarily for poor water quality in relation to storms or heightened levels of E. coli or other similar bacteria. Experts recommend avoiding swimming in the Bay or its tributaries for 48 hours after it rains or if you have any open cuts.
So, check the water quality in advance before you plan anything this holiday weekend, and keep on checking throughout the summer — nobody wants to see their plans ruined by bacteria.
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