Kings (@Stacy Brook Outfall)

Información de la fuente

Local boards of health and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation conduct the vast majority of beach water sampling in Massachusetts. In the Lynn region water is tested on a daily basis. The testing frequency depends on how likely the beach is to have water quality issues. Infrequently used beaches or beaches that historically have had very few, if any, water quality issues are tested less often, while high-use or historically problematic beaches are tested more often. Detailed information on testing frequency is made available in the information listed for a particular beach. The water at marine beaches is tested for the presence of Enterococci. Enterococci are a group of bacterial species typically found in human and animal intestines and are therefore present in sewage. Enterococci are also referred to as indicator organisms. Indicator organisms are used to predict the presence of pathogenic, or disease-causing, organisms associated with fecal contamination. In marine waters, the accepted level of Enterococci for a single sample is 104 colony forming units per 100 milliliters (cfu/100 ml) of bathing water or below. Any sample that comes back with a count greater than 104 cfu/100 ml exceeds the limit, and the beach must then be posted. Swim Guide checks for the latest information daily, Monday - Friday during the swimming season. A beach is marked Green when less than 104 units of Enterococci / 100 ml of water is present in a single sample, or when the geometric mean of 5 samples contains less than 35 units / 100ml of water. A beach is marked Red when more than 104 units of Enterococci / 100 ml of water is present in a single sample, or when the geometric mean of 5 samples contains more than 35 units / 100ml of water. A beach is marked Grey when there is no current or reliable monitoring information available.