The King County Lake Beach Monitoring Program protects public health by providing timely and accessible information on water quality (bacteria and algal toxins) at selected public swimming beaches. We often help beach managers identify and test ways to reduce pollution by improving management practices. In addition, we regularly monitor some streams that impact nearby swimming beaches, and work with stormwater managers to locate specific sources of bacteria pollution.

The Lake Beach Monitoring Program began in 1996, and grew out of King County’s existing monitoring program on Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish. Regular monitoring of these large lakes began in 1981. But King County’s water-quality monitoring arguably traces back to 1958, when voters approved the formation of The Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle (Metro). Metro’s initial goal was to develop a regional wastewater treatment system to reduce sewage pollution of our lakes and Puget Sound.

Email: lakes@kingcounty.gov
Address: 201 South Jackson, Seattle, WA 98104
Instagram: @kcenvirolab
Facebook: facebook.com/KCWLRD
Twitter: @KCDNRP