The California Senate voted 34-0 on Aug. 29 to send the governor legislation permitting county public health officials to use a quicker water-quality test to warn California’s 238 million beachgoers of contaminated water.
“SB 1395 safeguards the public and protects local economies,” said bill author Sen. Marty Block (Dist. 39). “We want the public alerted to any health danger as quickly as possible. We also want beaches reopened as soon as possible for visitors to enjoy once safety is assured. A quick reopening minimizes the economic loss to small businesses dependent upon beachgoers.” He said that over the last Memorial Day weekend more than 450,000 people enjoyed San Diego’s beaches.
Swimming, surfing or participating in other water activities in polluted water can result in stomach flu, skin rashes, pinkeye, respiratory infections, meningitis and hepatitis. The California Coastkeeper Alliance states that every year about one million Southern California beachgoers contract gastrointestinal illness from exposure to polluted coastal areas at a public health cost of $21 million to $51 million.
Under the state’s Beach and Bay Water Quality Monitoring Program, county public health departments perform beach water sampling and close beaches or post warning signs if water quality is below state standards. Current permissible tests are culture-based, involving a multiple sample standard for three indicators — total coliform, fecal coliform and Enterococcus. Test results are typically available in 24 to 48 hours — and sometimes as long as 96 hours — leaving beachgoers at risk before results are obtained.
To address this slow response time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published an alternative testing method called qualitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), which shortens the result-waiting period to four hours — a significant time savings. This test is genetically based rather than culture-based and measures the presence and amount of DNA from Enterococcus.
Block’s bill would authorize local health officers to use the rapid qPCR test to determine beach water quality. The jurisdiction must first perform the test side by side with the currently approved culture-based test over an entire beach season to determine that the qPCR test is a reliable indicator of public health standards. Additionally, the qPCR method must be performed in compliance with the federal EPA’s established guidance and with oversight by the California Department of Public Health.
SB 1395 is supported by business and government entities in San Diego, including the city, county, Port District and Regional Chamber of Commerce. The bill is also supported by a host of statewide environmental organizations.