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Chautauqua County is blessed with several bodies of fresh water
that support outdoor recreational activities. There are a number
of public bathing beaches located at our areas lakes. The Chautauqua
County Health Department considers it very important to protect
the public health of the residents and visitors who enjoy these
lakes, in particular the permitted bathing beaches.
The Chautauqua County Health Department monitors permitted bathing
beaches for specific indicator bacteria (fecal coliforms and E.coli)
to determine compliance with Subpart 6-2, Section 6-2.15(c) of the
New York Sanitary Code. Closure of beaches at times when the water
is bacteriologically unsafe for swimming is the best means of protecting
the public from possible disease exposure. Beach closures are based
on exceedance of these indicator bacteria standards set by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA).
Beach closures occur immediately (the same day) as laboratory test
results indicate samples exceed water quality standards. When the
indicator bacteria levels become too high, the potential risk to
human health from bacteria in the water becomes too great, triggering
a beach closure. When a beach is deemed closed signs are posted
along the beach visible to the public.
Status of the bacteriological quality of Chautuaqua County permitted
public beaches are listed below:
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