Beach Bacteria Monitoring
What
Enterococci bacteria indicate the presence of fecal contamination and potentially harmful bacteria and viruses in the water. These harmful microbes are known to cause vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, ear infections, and fever in recreational swimmers. Young children and people with compromised immune systems are especially susceptible.
Why
Many beaches around the country are monitored by private and government agencies to prevent public health risks of this kind, but the Shaw Institute's Blue Hill Research Center is the only organization that monitors beaches in the Blue Hill Peninsula. We provide this monitoring as a public service to the community since our area is not monitored by government agencies.
How
We follow very stringent protocols from the Environmental Protection Agency and Maine Healthy Beaches for both sampling and processing of the bacteria samples. In order to keep our community members and beach goers safe from harmful bacteria, we test several locations around the peninsula and combine this with weather data to provide weekly reports, suggesting which areas might be safest and which should be avoided. Please feel free to check here for updates. More information is below. Any results that are higher than the EPA’s bacteria level threshold are also reported to the Blue Hill Town Hall.
The full description of the 1986 EPA Water Quality Criteria for Bacteria can be found here.
Many local swimming areas will be monitored from June 2023 to September 2023. Currently, we are surveying: Blue Hill Town Park, Carrying Place Beach, Curtis Cove, and Peters Cove.
Beach Bacteria Reports 2023
Each report will be updated as new data is collected.
Summary Report (August 28- September 3)
Summary Report (August 21- August 27)
Summary Report (August 14- August 18)
Summary Report (July 24-August 11)
Summary Report (July 24-August 4)
Summary Report (July 17-July 28)
Summary Report (July 10-July 21)
Summary Report (July 3-July 14)
Summary Report (June 19-June 30)
Summary Report (June 19-June 25)
Summary Report (June 13-June 20)
Summary Report (June 26-July 7)
Archive: Beach Bacteria Reports 2022
Each report will be updated as new data is collected.
Summary Report (June 7- June 21)
Summary Report (June 14- June 29)
Summary Report (June 20 - July 4)
Summary Report (June 28 - July 14)
Summary Report (July 4 - July 18)
Summary Report (July 11 - July 25)
Summary Report (July 18 - August 3)
Summary Report (August 8-August 18)
Summary Report (August 19-21, rain event)
Summary Report (August 22- September 2)
Archive: Beach Bacteria Reports 2020
Reports are organized by sampling location. Each report will be updated as new data is collected.
Summary Report (August 21-28)
Weekly Reports by Sampling Site
Blue Hill Town Park
Carrying Place Beach
Curtis Cove Beach*
KYC
Peters Cove
Surry Town Wharf
* Bacteria Alert: Curtis Cove Input Stream
⚠ Please be aware Curtis Cove stream frequently exceeds the safety levels of bacteria set by the EPA. Please use caution and avoid the stream area. Shaw Institute is working with the landowners to post signs and determine the source of the bacteria. ⚠ NOTE: We have paused sampling on the stream to further investigate the pollution source. Assume bacteria levels exceed safety levels.
Archive: Weekly Reports 2019
Summary Report (Aug. 29 - Sept. 5)
BACTERIA ALERTS:
Curtis Cove Beach
Blue Hill Town Park
Sampling sites:
Blue Hill Town Park (Aug. 29 - Sept. 5)
Carrying Place Beach (Aug. 29 - Sept. 5)
Curtis Cove Beach (Aug. 29 - Sept. 5)
KYC (Aug. 29 - Sept. 5)
Peters Cove (Aug. 29 - Sept. 5)
Archive: Weekly Reports 2018
Final monitoring report for 2018 by sampling location:
Carrying Place Beach - Sept 17
Archive: Weekly Reports 2017
Blue Hill Town Park - July 7 - Aug 22
Carrying Place Beach- July 7 - Aug 22 2017
Curtis Cove Beach - July 7 - Aug 22 2017
Peters Cove - July 7 - Aug 22 2017
Archive: Weekly Reports 2016
Water Quality Monitoring Report - September 16 2016
Water Quality Monitoring Report - September 7 2016
Water Quality Monitoring Report - August 31 2016
Water Quality Monitoring Report - August 24 2016
Water Quality Monitoring Report - August 18 2016
Water Quality Monitoring Report - August 8 2016
Water Quality Monitoring Report - August 3 2016
Water Quality Monitoring Report - July 20 2016
Water Quality Monitoring Report - July 7 2016