The Blue Water Task Force is Surfrider’s volunteer water quality monitoring program that provides critical water quality information to protect public health at the beach. Surfrider chapters use this program to raise awareness of local pollution problems and to bring together communities to implement solutions.
Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) labs measure fecal indicator bacteria levels in recreational waters and compare them to water quality standards set to protect public health. Chapter-run BWTF programs fill in the gaps and extend the coverage of agency-run beach monitoring programs by sampling ocean and bay beaches, estuaries and potential freshwater sources of pollution such as stormwater outlets, rivers and creeks that discharge onto the beach.
Olympia Chapter has been sampling the waters off Squaxin (formerly Priest Point Park) since 2017
We partner with the Dept. of Ecology's BEACH Program to collect weekly samples throughout the summer season. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, volunteers collect 3-4 samples early in the week and drop them off at the Thurston County Health Department lab where they are tested for Enterococcus, a type of bacteria that indicates the presence of fecal matter. Eew. We host a BBQ and BWTF training day every year at Squaxin where you can learn how to collect samples!
View Your Local Water Quality
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Water quality testing provided by Surfrider's {{info.name}} Chapter
Surfrider Foundation Olympia samples three locations at Squaxin Park (formerly Priest Point) weekly during the summer season, and drops samples off to the Washington State Department of Ecology's lab to be processed and used for their seasonal beach monitoring program.
Our BWTF sampling assists Washington State Department of Ecology BEACH program, and provides information for the public about local water quality conditions.
