Heading to the beach this weekend? Consider engaging in water quality testing with the Surfrider Foundation. The Surfrider Foundation is a grassroots environmental organization whose mission is to protect and enjoy the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches.
Surfrider volunteers work in their communities across the country testing the water to provide more information to inform safe beach recreation. The Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) is the Surfrider Foundation’s volunteer-run water testing program. Operating within a national network of over 50 labs, BWTF groups provide critical water quality information to protect public health and clean water through the analysis of samples collected by citizen scientists. BWTF labs test for enterococcus, a fecal bacteria that lives in the gut of warm-blooded animals. When enterococcus is found in the water, it indicates that other harmful pathogens may be present that could make you or your pet sick. There may be a BWTF chapter near you!
