04/21/2023
Bathing Beach Program For Regulators (virtual training)
There are over 1,000 public and semi-public bathing beaches (referred to as “beaches” for the purposes of this
training) in Massachusetts. This includes both freshwater (lakes) and marine (ocean). The water quality of these beaches is important to public health and safety. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2011-2012 there were 90 recreational water-associated health outbreaks that resulted in at least 1,788 cases and 95 hospitalizations. Through a coordinated effort, federal, state, and local public health agencies established a framework to protect the health, safety, and well-being of beach users, and to prevent waterborne disease. Local boards of health (LBOH) are required to monitor beaches’ water quality, notify the public when bathing water quality doesn’t meet the regulatory standards, and work in partnership with operators to ensure the minimum standards for beaches are met.
