By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

ABOUT 20 beaches in The Bahamas have received a "green status" meeting water quality standards that are safe for swimmers, according to an international swim guide website.

SwimGuide.org - which publishes the status of beaches around the world - released a status report following the latest water sample testings conducted in July by Save the Bays/Waterkeepers Bahamas.

The summer heat continues to drive people to the beach to cool off. Unfortunately, in Florida, some swimmers have contracted a flesh eating bacteria that has been blamed for recent deaths and severe hospitalisation of individuals in the United States.

To ensure that beaches are safe, Save the Bays/Waterkeepers Bahamas conduct ongoing monitoring of water quality at nearly 20 beach sites in The Bahamas, including Bimini, Grand Bahama, and in New Providence.

In New Providence, the sites monitored were Montagu Beach, Saunders Beach, Goodman's Bay Park, Jaws Beach, Clifton Bay, Southern Ocean Beach, and Coral Harbour Beach.

Water samples were taken on July 18, with all sites receiving a green status. The results were posted on Swim Guide on July 19.

In Grand Bahama, water sample testings were also conducted between July 18 and July 20 at several popular beaches frequented by visitors and locals.

Water samples were taken at Taino Beach on July 20, and on July 18 at Coral Beach, Fortune Beach, Xanadu Beach, Silver Point (Williams Town), and Lover's Beach in Eight Mile Rock.

The results were posted on July 21, and all beach sites received the green status, which indicate they have met water quality standards which are safe for swimmers.

In Bimini, green statuses were also posted for Shipwreck Point, Radio Beach, Shipwreck, and Blister Bay in Alice Town; Bailey Town beach; and Spook Hill, Porgy Bay.

Rashema Ingraham, executive director of Waterkeepers Bahamas, said they are pleased to see the "consistent favourable results" at the beach sites in The Bahamas.

"As we are at peak of our swim season we are happy to see the consistent favourable results from our testing. We focus sampling on the swim zone on popular beaches on Grand Bahama, Bimini and New Providence," she said.

Ms Ingraham stated that information is provided to the swimming/recreational bathing public so that persons are aware of the conditions of the water where they choose to go.

She noted that Waterkeepers Bahamas has been conducting water sample monitoring for the past three years now.

"We are going on into our third year of providing this information and while there were some growing pains, especially when favourite beaches may have had high levels of enterococcus(harmful bacteria), the acceptance of our work shows that the Bahamian people are concerned about their health, want to be aware and are appreciative of the fact that an organisation such as our is willfully providing them with the information."

Last July, Taino Beach) received a red 'no swim' alert after water sample testing found that it had failed water quality standards due to high level of fecal coliform sample results showing it contained high levels of fecal coliform.

Taino Beach is a popular site for swimming and sailing. Each year, the annual regatta and Goombay Summer Festival are held there. It is also a popular site for the holidays and many cook-outs.

Swim Guide delivers free up-to-date water quality information for over 7,000 beaches, lakes, rivers, and swimming holes in Canada, the US, Mexico, The Bahamas, Australia and New Zealand.

According to Swim Guide, sampling is collected all year long, but the frequency of collection is reduced during the colder months.

Water samples are collected every two weeks from April 1 to October 31. From November to March, samples are collected once per month. Samples are typically collected on Wednesdays or Thursdays.