Changes in parameters of beach water quality in testing items

Themes

Marine pollution

PSBR model type

Pressure (P)

Corresponding targets

SDGs

14.1 By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.

Aichi Biodiversity Targets

Target 8: By 2020, pollution, including from excess nutrients, has been brought to levels that are not detrimental to ecosystem function and biodiversity.

Background

According to many studies on human health and environmental hygiene, the risk of water pollution in beach recreation areas to human health are mainly caused by skin contact and oral intake of pathogenic microorganisms. However, the beach water quality suffers from a large number of bacteria and other microbial pollution, mainly due to garbage and ground sewage, fecal, and sewage overflow pollution, etc. caused by heavy rain washing. Water quality is especially poor after typhoons or heavy rains, therefore it is not recommended to go to the beach water for recreation. Due to the wide variety of pathogenic microorganisms, it is not easy to monitor and make relevant laws and standards. Many advanced countries such as the United States and European countries have clear "microbial contamination indicators" on beach water quality, which can be used as a reference basis to monitor water quality by Ocean Conservation Administration, and in the swimming season, regular monitoring and announcements are made to protect the health and safety of people playing in the beach water.

Definition and Calculation

The monitoring items are water temperature, pH value, salinity, Escherichia coli ( E. coli) strains, and Enterococcus strains, a total of 5 items, and the numerical trends over the years are calculated. According to the marine environmental quality standards, the colony number of E. coli in beach water should be fewer than 1000 CFU/100mL. Beach water quality that passes the standards is further classified as good vs. normal when the colony number of Enterococcal bacteria is higher or lower than 50 MPN/100mL.

Updates

From June to August 2018, the monthly water quality monitoring results of 8 beach monitoring stations (¹ June to August average), the colony number of E. coli is 463.636 CFU/100mL, and the colony number of Enterococcus is 94.636MPN/100mL.

Data Management Authorities

Ocean Conservation Administration (Environmental Protection Agency before 2018)

Data Source / URL

The data of Beach Water Quality, on the website of Environmental Water Quality Information by Environmental 
Protection Administration, Executive Yuan.