130 



Table 8 



C. Ocean Beach Closings in 1992 



As noteci above, the health agency with jurisdiction over a coastal recreational 

 beach must close the beach for bathing and other primary cr tact activities when 

 two consecutive samples show fecal coliform concentrations in excess of the 

 primary contact standard. N.J.A.C. 8;26-8.8. DOH regulations also require the health 

 agency to close the beach if the sanitary survey uncovers any condition that may 

 present an imminent hazard to public health. A health agency may also elect to 

 close a beach when an environmental or man-made condition related to excessive 

 concentrations exists. Examples of circumstances supporting these discretionary 

 closings include washups of floatable debris and failures of the sewage 

 infrastructure. 



The number and extent of beach closings alone do not conclusively demonstrate 

 coastal water quality. Though beaches are closed when the water quality problems 

 discussed above occur, the absence of beach closings does not establish that no such 

 water quality problems exist. For example, a stormwater discharge could cause an 

 excessive preliminary fecal coliform concentration at a monitoring station; 

 however, if the fecal coliform were dispersed before the confirming sample was 

 taken, the beach would not be closed. In 1992, 38 preliminary samples from ocean 



