Background

• The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) conducts weekly sampling at 21 state-owned and managed swimming areas: 4 coastal parks - Rocky Neck, Hammonasset, Silver Sands and Sherwood Island; 16 inland parks - Black Rock, Burr Pond, Chatfield Hollow, Day Pond, Gay City, Hopeville Pond, Indian Well, Kettletown, Lake Waramaug, Mashamoquet, Mount Tom, Quaddick, Squantz Pond, Stratton Brook, Wadsworth Falls, Wharton Brook; and 1 state forest - Pachaug State Forest.

• Water testing at state swimming areas begins the week before Memorial Day weekend and continues through Labor Day weekend.

• Samples from the 21 state-owned swimming areas are analyzed at a Department of Public Health lab. Samples are analyzed for indicator bacteria, which are not disease causing pathogens, but are one of the tools used by public health and environmental protection officials to evaluate the potential contamination of waterbodies.

State Swimming Area Water Quality Report

• The weekly report lists the location and status of DEP's 21 inland and coastal swimming areas.

• Prepared weekly, the report is issued every Thursday afternoon. If a problem is indicated, DEP and DPH can resample and have results available in 24 hours.

Swimming Area Information Line

• The DEP State Parks Division maintains a 24-hour "State Parks Swimming Area Water Quality Status" information line. By dialing 1-866-CTPARKS (option #5) the public and the media can check the status of Connecticut's 21 state-owned swimming areas. The Information Line provides up-to-date information through a recorded message. In the event a swimming area is closed, the message indicates alternative swimming locations.

For further information, contact Dwayne Gardner of the Connecticut DEP at 860-424-4100.

State Swimming Areas - Status