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Connecticut Summary: 2006 Swimming Season
May 2007
- Introduction
- 2006 Summary Results
- For More Information
- Print version (PDF) of this document (620 K, 2 pages, About PDF)
- Raw data (MS-Excel) for Connecticut (115 K)
Introduction
Figure 1. Connecticut coastal counties with 2006 monitored beach data.
The BEACH Act of 2000 requires that coastal and Great Lakes states and territories report to EPA on beach monitoring and notification data for their coast recreation waters. The BEACH Act defines coastal recreation waters as the Great Lakes and coastal waters (including coastal estuaries) that states, territories, and authorized tribes officially recognize or designate for swimming, bathing, surfing, or similar activities in the water.
This fact sheet summarizes beach monitoring and notification data submitted to EPA by the state of Connecticut for the 2006 swimming season.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health collects monitored beach data for 67 marine beaches located along its shoreline with Long Island Sound. Local health departments monitor sixty-three (63) of these beaches. The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection monitors the remaining four (4) S tate Park marine beaches.
Connecticut has adopted a set of beach monitoring guidelines that are based on US EPA standards for recreational bathing waters. These guidelines have been in effect since May 1989. They were revised most recently in April 2003.
Questions about a municipal beach should be directed to the shoreline local health department that monitors it. Questions about a State Park beach should be directed to the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.
| County | Total Beaches | Monitored | Not Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield | 28 | 28 | 0 |
| Middlesex | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| New Haven | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| New London | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| Totals | 67 | 67 | 0 |
2006 Summary Results
How many beaches had notification actions?
Figure 2: Monitored beaches with and without notification actions in 2006.
Connecticut beach managers will post a warning advisory or closure sign at a beach when conditions are unsafe or when levels of certain bacteria exceen standards. Of the 67 coast beaches that were monitored 40, or 60 percent, had at least one beach action (advisory or closure) during the 2006 swimming season (Figure 2).
How many notification actions were reported and how long were they?
Figure 3: Beach notification actions by duration.
A total of 107 beach notification actions were reported in the 2006 swimming season. Actions were of relatively short duration, however. Figure 3 presents breakdowns of action durations.
What percentage of days were beaches under a notification action?
Figure 4: Beach days with and without notification actions.
For Connecticut's 2006 swimming season, EPA determined there were a total of 6,901 beach days associated with the 67 monitored beaches. Actions were reported on 224 of those days or about 3 percent of the time (Figure 4).
How do 2006 results compare to previous years?
Beginning in 2003, states are required to submit data to EPA under the BEACH Act for beaches which are in coastal and Great Lakes waters. Table 2 compares 2006 data with data reported in previous years.
| Year | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of monitored beaches | 65 | 67 | 67 |
| Number of beaches affected by notification actions | 30 | 28 | 40 |
| Percentage of beaches affected by notification actions | 46% | 42% | 60% |
