For those of you looking to delve a little deeper into the science behind beach water testing and the national water quality standards, the EPA has just released two literature reviews online.
1. Review of Published Studies to Characterize Relative Risks from Different Sources of Fecal Contamionation in Recreational Waters.
2. Review of Zoonotic Pathogens in Ambient Water.
The first report discusses studies on human health illness and risk from exposure to beach water, and the second provides a summary of the many different pathogens in polluted seawater that can make you sick. Both documents are available on EPA's Web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/criteria/recreation/
Enjoy!
