Walton County Health Department beach report – health advisories issued for the Holly Street and Eastern Lake beach access

UPDATE May 21 – Holly Street and Eastern Lake accesses now testing GOOD.

WALTON COUNTY – The Florida Department of Health in Walton County conducts regularly scheduled saltwater beach water quality monitoring at seven sites through the Healthy Beaches Monitoring Program. Samples are collected from March through the end of October.  The water samples are analyzed for enteric bacteria (enterococci) that normally inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and animals, which may cause human disease, infections, or rashes.  The presence of enteric bacteria is an indication of fecal pollution, which may come from storm water runoff, pets and wildlife, and human sewage.  The purpose of the Healthy Beaches Monitoring Program is to determine whether Florida has significant coastal beach water quality problems and whether future beach monitoring efforts are necessary.

Water quality classifications are based upon United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) recommended criteria and Florida Healthy Beaches Program Categories:

Good = 0 – 35 Enterococci per 100 ml of marine
Moderate = 36 – 104 Enterococci per 100 ml of marine water
Poor = greater than 105 Enterococci per 100 ml of marine water

Health Advisories have been issued for the Holly Street Beach Access and the Eastern Lake Beach Access based on the enterococci standard recommended by the EPA.  This should be considered a potential health risk to the bathing public.

If you should have any questions, please contact the FDOH in Walton County at (850) 892-8021, or visit the Department of Health’s Beach Water Quality website www.floridahealth.gov/healthy-environments/beach-water-quality/index.html.