Bay Healthy Beaches Monitoring Program Results

Bay County, Fla. – An advisory has been issued for the Carl Gray Park (SP 9) location on Collegiate Drive in Panama City.

The Florida Department of Health in Bay County (DOH-Bay) monitors saltwater beach water quality in accordance with the Healthy Beaches Monitoring Program. DOH-Bay collects water samples twice a month between March and October and checks for enteric bacteria that usually inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and animals. The presence of enteric bacteria can indicate fecal pollution, which may come from stormwater runoff, pets and wildlife, and human sewage. Poor results are posted as an “Advisory” at the affected beaches.

Healthy Beaches advisories protect swimmers from increased risk of gastrointestinal illnesses. At a lower occurring level, there may also be increased risks of upper respiratory infections, skin rashes, and ear infections.

Sampling is usually done on Mondays, with results on Tuesdays, except for holidays. Results are shared at Bay.FloridaHealth.gov, through media releases, and real-time on the Florida Healthy Beaches page at FloridaHealth.gov and search for “Healthy Beaches.”

Florida Healthy Beaches Program Categories are: Good = 0-35 Enterococci per 100 milliliters of marine water, Moderate = 36-70 Enterococci per 100 milliliters of marine water, and Poor = 71 or greater Enterococci per 100 milliliters of marine water. If levels are above 70, DOH-Bay notifies the local Florida Department of Environmental Protection for further investigation.

If you have any questions, please contact the Florida Department of Health in Bay County at 850-481-4806 or visit the Florida Department of Health’s Internet Beach Water Quality website at http://www.floridahealth.gov/healthy-environments/beach-water-quality/index.html.

About the Florida Department of Health

The Department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.