The Blue Water Task Force is Surfrider’s volunteer water quality monitoring program that provides critical water quality information to protect public health at the beach. Surfrider chapters use this program to raise awareness of local pollution problems and to bring together communities to implement solutions.
Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) labs measure fecal indicator bacteria levels in recreational waters and compare them to water quality standards set to protect public health. Chapter-run BWTF programs fill in the gaps and extend the coverage of agency-run beach monitoring programs by sampling ocean and bay beaches, estuaries and potential freshwater sources of pollution such as stormwater outlets, rivers and creeks that discharge onto the beach.
Surfrider Foundation Maine has teamed up with Katahdin Analytical Services to monitor recreational beaches. Our volunteers collect monthly water samples for processing at the Katahdin Analytical Services lab.
Our BWTF data augments the seasonal beach monitoring program conducted by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection
If you are interested in becoming a BWTF volunteer, please contact bwtf@maine.surfrider.org
Local Water Quality Resources