Water Quality Testing: Prior to the opening of any of the city's beaches, Parks & Recreation conducts a weekly inspection of the beaches for sanitary and safety conditions as required by state regulations. This process includes testing the beach water for bacteria (E. coli). State regulation also requires the beach operator (in this case the Parks & Recreation Department) to post a sign at the beach to alert the public when a high bacteria count is collected. Bacterial load at different points of the pond/lake varies quite a bit. A high bacterial count in the water collected at the beach does not mean the rest of the water body will have high bacterial counts, and vice versa. The state regulation only requires public posting and closure at the beach, since only the beach water was tested.
