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Beach Closings Due to Bacteriological Levels by Year, New Jersey, 2000 to 2024

Indicator Report Data View Options

Why Is This Important?

Swimming in or contact with polluted water can cause gastrointestinal, respiratory, eye and ear, and flu-like symptoms. These symptoms are minor most of the time, but can occasionally be more serious, especially in sensitive populations, such as in children and elderly. New Jersey's beach monitoring program assesses coastal water quality and pollution. Local agencies monitor the concentration of bacteria in coastal waters. Samples that are above the water quality standard indicate water that presents an increased risk of illness and may result in beach closings to protect public health. Closings may also be issued as a precaution, especially where contaminated storm water runoff may impact water quality at the bathing beach following heavy rainfall.

Definition

Number of ocean and tidal water beach closings due to elevated bacteriological levels.

Data Notes

This is Healthy New Jersey 2020 (HNJ2020) Objective EH-5. Data were obtained from NJ Department of Environmental Protection online report, "Cooperative Coastal Monitoring Program, Annual Summary Report", [https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ec843a15ee5c46ec924e0bc73f75640c/page/Results-%26-Geomeans/?draft=true]. The NJDEP Annual CCMP Summary Report for 2024 provides ocean, bay and river closings separately. The ocean and bay numbers are added together on SHAD to provide historical consistency as well as to provide consistency with HNJ2020.

Data Source

Division of Water Monitoring and Standards, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

How the Measure is Calculated

  • Numerator:

    Number of ocean and tidal water beach closings due to elevated bacteriological levels.

  • Denominator:

    Not applicable

Related Health Objectives and Indicators


Healthy NJ 2020 Objective EH-5

NJ Target: Reduce the annual number of beach closings due to elevated bacteriological levels to 30 by 2020
https://www.nj.gov/health/chs/hnj2020/topics/environmental-health.shtml


Health Topic Pages Related to: Beach Closings Due to Bacteriological Levels

Indicator Data Last Updated On 12/02/2024, Published on 12/02/2024
Environmental Public Health Tracking Project, New Jersey Department of Health, PO Box 369, Trenton, NJ 08625-0369, e-mail: nj.epht@doh.nj.gov (https://www.nj.gov/health/epht)