Is it safe to swim?
Biscay Beach: No advisory posted. Cyanobacteria scores under detectable limits.
Bristol Mills: No advisory posted. Cyanobacteria scores under detectable limits.
Results are based on samples taken on Tuesday, August 4.
Pemaquid Beach Park:
Check status here
What does it mean when an advisory is posted?
When an advisory is posted at Biscay Beach or Bristol Mills, that means that at the time the most recent sample was taken, levels of E. coli were found to be high and swimming is not recommended. Please see our FAQ section for more information.
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FAQs
If an advisory is posted for Biscay Beach, does that mean the whole pond is contaminated?
Not necessarily. Water samples are a snapshot in time and will only give us information about the area where the sample was taken.
How often is the water tested?
We take water samples weekly on Tuesdays from late June through the end of August. Results come back from the lab on Wednesday. If/when results come back positive for high levels of E. coli (at fresh water swim areas) or Enterococcus (at Pemaquid Beach Park) we will make an effort to schedule additional samples.
Is it possible to test the water in other locations?
If there is reason to suspect levels of E. coli may be high in another area of the pond, anyone may take a sample and have it tested at a certified lab such as the Maine Coast Lab in Wiscasset for a fee. You may email Sarah Gladu for details on how to take a sample, and she can provide you with a sample bottle if needed.
If an advisory is posted, is it safe to kayak?
Yes!
How we monitor water quality
To help ensure our area beaches are safe for swimming, Coastal Rivers volunteers monitor swim beaches at Biscay Pond, Bristol Mills and Pemaquid Beach Park in collaboration with the Maine Healthy Beaches program.
Trained volunteers collect water samples on a weekly basis, June through August. The samples are analyzed for bacterial contamination at a state-certified water quality lab in Rockland.
This program provides real-time data for the towns of Damariscotta and Bristol, which manage the swim beaches, and Coastal Rivers provides support with posting advisories as needed.
Ten things you can do to help keep beaches clean
- Do not swim if you are experiencing diarrhea.
- Wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers.
- Properly dispose of pet waste in a location far from the water.
- Maintain and routinely pump out your septic system.
- Report any illicit or questionable discharges to your local plumbing inspector.
- If you are a shorefront property owner, maintain wide and multi-layered vegetative buffers along the shore.
- Take children for frequent bathroom breaks.
- Use “swim diapers” with absorbent padding.
- Change diapers frequently, away from the water’s edge and, if possible, in a bathroom.
- Dispose of diapers properly. Place them in trash receptacles or seal them in a plastic bag to carry out with you.
Cyanobacteria Monitoring
Cyanobacteria (also called blue-green algae) can sometimes produce dangerous toxins. And certain conditions can cause them to reproduce quickly in fresh water, creating a potential health risk. Called Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal* Blooms, or CyanoHABs, these events are of particular concern in water that is used for drinking or where people or dogs are swimming.
Coastal Rivers tests for microcystins, which are poisons that some blue-green algae produce. We monitor weekly from July through early September, collaborating with Maine Department of Environmental Protection and Bigelow Laboratory to provide reliable information.
See the Maine Cyanobacteria Bloom Reporting Dashboard
With an interactive map showing the location, details and description of reported blooms across the state.
Read: What's the scoop on cyanobacteria?
This post from from our blog archives provides an educational overview of cyanobacteria (commonly known as "blue-green algae"), highlighting their ecological importance, the risks they pose, and how to prevent dangerous blooms.
For property owners: How you can help prevent algae blooms
- Plant low-growing native plants, shrubs, or trees on bare shoreline areas to stop soil from washing into the water
- Leave a wide strip of multi-layered plants along the water’s edge
- Direct water from roofs, driveways and roads to stable vegetated areas
- Regularly maintain and routinely pump out your septic system
- Avoid creating boat wakes which contribute to shoreline erosion
- In a nutshell, keep dirt and nutrients from washing into the waterway!
