Recreational Water Quality
See Current Advisories Below
After rainfall, all Anne Arundel County beaches are under a no swimming/no direct water contact advisory for 48 hours, due to predicted high bacteria levels. (preemptive advisory)
The Department of Health issues advisories against recreational use of water areas when a sewage spill, leak or other problem indicates that human waste is in the water. Current closings and advisories are listed below.
Lab results from collected water samples take at least two working days to process. Closings and advisories remain in effect until results meet acceptable levels for two or more consecutive days. Acceptable levels are determined by the State, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Anne Arundel County Department of Health.
The Department of Health has ordered recent closings,
issued advisories or conducted assessments
for the following County waterways:
June 20, 2008 - Advisory for Pine Grove Village Community Beach on Rock Creek Lifted
The Department of Health's water contact advisory for Pine Grove Village community beach located on Rock Creek in Pasadena has been lifted. The advisory was issued on June 18, 2008 due to high bacteria levels found in water samples collected by the Department of Health. Follow-up sampling shows the water quality conditions have met the acceptable standards set by U.S. EPA and the Maryland Department of the Environment for swimming, jet skiing and other direct water contact.
June 9, 2008 - Mill Creek Advisory Lifted
The Department of Health assessed the water quality conditiions at Mill Creek (Arnold) and has lifted the public health advisory. The advisory was issued for a section of Mill Creek (from headwaters to Haskell Road) on June 5, 2008 due to a wastewater spill of approximately 2,400 gallons. There are no Department of Health restrictions on swimming or other direct water contact for Mill Creek.
Spring 2008
Marley Creek (Glen Burnie) limited use advisory *
Furnace Creek (Glen Burnie) limited use advisory *
Rock Creek (Pasadena) limited use advisory* from the headwaters to Valley Road, Wall Cove and Whites Cove
*Limited use water contact advisory due to consistently high bacteria levels. The Department of Health advises against swimming, water skiing and other direct water contact due to possible health risks associated with high bacteria levels. There is no restriction on catching fish or crabs. There is no restriction on general boating activities. For more information call the Recreational Water Quality Monitoring Program at 410-222-7241.
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Anne Arundel County Recognized for Exemplary Public Notification Program
In a 2007 report, "What's In Your Water? The State of Public Notification in 11 U.S. States," American Rivers recognized the County Department of Health's e-mail alerts, Web site and telephone hotline as important sources of information for the public. The report calls Anne Arundel County's notification program "exemplary" and a model for other counties in distributing information about beach closures and sewage spills. See page 29 of "What's In Your Water?"
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