The Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) is Surfrider’s volunteer water quality monitoring program that provides critical information to protect public health at the beach. Chapter water testing programs are designed to fill in the gaps and extend the coverage of state and local agency beach programs, so there is more information available to inform safe recreation in coastal waterways. The Blue Water Task Force continues to grow and set records. As it stands, the BWTF network is wrapping up 2024 with over 9500 water samples analyzed, nearly 600 sampling sites, and 60 active labs across the country. This year alone, 4 chapters have launched new BWTF labs or relaunched programs that have been inactive since pre-Covid, including:
1. The Coos Bay Chapter kicked off the year by partnering with Pacific High School to relaunch their water testing program at the Port Orford Lab. Pacific High students are actively involved in collecting and processing water samples at the lab on their campus. This hands-on experience not only gives students the opportunity to make a real impact on local environmental issues but also helps them develop a stronger connection to the natural resources that sustain their community.
Collecting a water sample at the Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve (left), and the Pacific High School Biology class processing water samples in the lab (right).
2. A new water testing lab was established in Isabela, Puerto Rico, to expand testing in the Northwest corner of the island by adding six new testing sites from Aguadilla to Isabela. With leadership from the Rincon Chapter, the BWTF is providing valuable water quality information and empowering local communities to take an active role in protecting their coastal environments for future generations. By the end of December, the three BWTF labs in Puerto Rico will have performed approximately 1,500 water quality tests this year!
Volunteers learning how to collect a water sample (left), processing samples in the new lab in Isabela (center), and BWTF lead in Isabela, Sailyn Cordero, educating students on the importance of water quality (right).
3. The Sonoma Coast Chapter also relaunched their BWTF programs this past spring. Their primary goal is to provide consistent, year-round water quality data to their community, filling the gaps left by the seasonal beach monitoring program run by the Sonoma County Department of Health. The BWTF lead for the chapter, Glenn Osborne, works with a dedicated team of water samplers from Cardinal Newman High School. Together, they ensure the program continues its vital work and helps the community stay informed about water quality during the colder, winter months when the County stops testing yet people continue to enjoy surfing along their coast.
Glen Osborne (left), alongside his dedicated water samplers from Cardinal Newman High School—Robert Loxley, Jared Murray, and Dawsen Desisto.
From left to right: Sonoma Coast BWTF water samples immediately after collection, samples in the incubator, and reading a sample under the black light
4. Finally, in Hawaiʻi, the O’ahu Chapter has helped support the launch of a new BWTF lab at the Waiʻanae High School. Located next to Pōka’ī Bay, along a rural stretch of coastline on the west side of the island, this new lab allows community volunteers and students to process their samples at the local school instead of having to drive them into Honolulu, saving both time and money. In addition to bi-monthly sampling, the O’ahu BWTF is collaborating with the students and their community partners at Kingdom Pathways to participate in research projects led by the University of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS). These studies are aimed at assessing the inputs of pollution into Pōka’ī Bay during storm events and the fate and transport of those pollutants as they circulate around the Bay and ultimately out into the Pacific Ocean. The resulting data will be applied to determine needed solutions to improve circulation and water quality conditions in Pōka’ī Bay, where many members of the local community have complaints of becoming ill after exposure to polluted water. Participating students and community volunteers are gaining hands-on experience in scientific research and producing data that will be used to improve conditions for their families and community. Learn more about this community partnership in this short video.
The new lab in Wai'anae (left) and some of the amazing BWTF volunteers (right).
We are excited to welcome these new labs into our network! With our network of BWTF growing across the country, our program continues to provide a vital role in protecting clean water for all to enjoy.
Thank you to all of our new and existing BWTF labs for continuing to provide the public with crucial water quality information so that everyone can be aware of where it’s safe to surf, swim and play. A huge congratulations to our labs for continually breaking sampling records! As our Surfrider volunteers all know, every water sample is a step towards clearer understanding of local water quality and protecting the health of our waterways.
To volunteer or find a BWTF lab testing near you, check out our online map at bwtf.surfrider.org.