Cape Cod Begins Recreational Beach Monitoring in May

Barnstable County will once again monitor the Cape's freshwater and marine beaches during the summer ahead. In advance of summer visitation, the county is making beachgoers aware of several environmental health considerations for 2025.

With the support of funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), the county will sample and analyze water at more than 350 marine and freshwater beaches every week. Marine water will be tested for Enterococcus and freshwater for E. coli, two bacteria that can indicate possible fecal contamination.

If a beach sample retest exceeds the limit for bacteria in bathing water, the county's program notifies the health official in the town where the beach is located. This official has 24 hours to ensure that the beach is closed to swimming. When retest results indicate acceptable bacteria levels in the water, the beach can be reopened to swimming.

Barnstable County is partnering with the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC) to study freshwater ponds for cyanobacteria, blue-green algae. Some species of this algae can produce toxins that pose serious health risks to people and pets.

Barnstable County is continuing to follow emerging public health risks related to the H5N1 avian flu and will issue updates as necessary throughout the summer season. The H5N1 virus has become increasingly present in wild birds and coastal regions across the globe, including in North America. 

Barnstable County officials are reminding the public to stay away from dead or sick birds and report sightings of diseased birds to local wildlife authorities or MassWildlife.

More information on the water monitoring program, cyanobacteria monitoring program, and avian flu monitoring are available online.