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SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas (ValleyCentral) — South Padre Island is home to some of the cleanest beach water in Texas. A recent report published by Environment America looked at the bacteria levels of Texas beaches.
The Texas Beach Watch program is overseen by the Texas General Land Office and conducted by the UTRGV Coastal Studies Lab. They are responsible for 19 testing sites stretching from Boca Chica up to Beach Access Point 6.
“The purpose of the program is to help people to prevent from getting bacterial infections, things like that by telling if the water is good or not so good,” said Hudson Deyoe, UTRGV Professor, School of Earth, Environmental and Earth Sciences.
Scientists collect samples every week from each site during the busiest times for beach visitors. The collected water is taken back to the coastal studies lab, where it’s analyzed. If any of the samples contain potentially unsafe bacterial levels that trigger an advisory, the site is re-tested.
“If there’s an advisory for that particular beach, we go back the next day. We will keep going back as long as the levels of bacteria are high enough to trigger an advisory, said professor Deyoe.
According to the report, several beach areas on South Padre Island had no days with advisories last year.
For comparison, the report says over 50 percent of beaches nationwide were considered unsafe at least one day in 2022.
Anyone planning on visiting the beach can find information about advisories on Texas Beach Watch.
“All the beaches in Texas that are monitored by the Beach Watch program, there’s a little icon for each particular beach. If you click on that, it will tell you what the water quality is, bacteria-wise, for that particular beach,” Deyoe said.
The program also has signs indicating if advisories are present if they didn’t check the website before visiting.
“Usually, they’re folded up, if there’s no advisory. If there is, the sign is open, and anyone can see there’s an advisory for that particular beach,” added Deyoe.
Deyoe says advisories are in place to inform the public, but they allow people from getting into the water. He advises beachgoers should be aware of advisories and understand that bacteria can thrive in the hotter weather.
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News Source: https://www.valleycentral.com/news/local-news/texas-beach-watch-spi-has-cleanest-beach-water-in-state/
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