Bacteria testing at Golden Gardens and Carkeek

The beaches at Golden Gardens Park and Carkeek Park will be monitored again this year for bacteria.

Beachcombers at Golden Gardens Park during low tide.

The Beach Environmental Assessment, Communication and Health (BEACH) program is monitoring the water and will notify the public when bacteria results are high and will educate people on preventing sickness while playing in the salt water. “We are trying to make beach health information more accessible,” said Jessica Bennett, acting coordinator of the BEACH Program. “People need to know about the risk of illness at Washington’s beaches so they can make informed choices before they hit the beach.”

From BEACH, ways you can help keep the beaches clean:

Scoop and bag pet poop and throw it in the trash.

Inspect and maintain your home septic system.

Pump your recreational boat holding tank into an authorized pump
station.

Pick up all of your trash at the beach, especially diapers.

You can receive information on the beaches’ health in a number of ways:

The program is jointly coordinated by the Departments of Ecology and Health. It is implemented by local health agencies, tribal nations and volunteers.