Keeping beaches safe
The Beach Environmental Assessment, Communication & Health (BEACH) Program ensures that marine water is safe to swim and play in and informs the public if water doesn't meet swimming standards.
From Memorial Day through Labor Day in 2019, we sampled 62 public high-use beaches statewide, either weekly or biweekly, for enterococcus, a type of fecal bacteria. High enterococcus levels are linked to swimmer illness.
Pierce County saltwater swimming beaches
We monitored nine beaches in Pierce County from May 20 – Aug. 30, 2019. All beaches were sampled weekly.
Find details about each of the Pierce County beaches below:
Dash Point Metro Park beach was sampled 15 times during the sampling period. Water quality at this beach was very good with bacterial levels meeting the swimming standards during all periods sampled.
Jack Hyde Park beach was sampled 15 times during the sampling period. Water quality at this beach was excellent and met the swimming standard for all periods sampled.
During the 2019 monitoring season, Kopachuck State Park beach was sampled 15 times. This beach had excellent water quality and met the swimming standard for all periods sampled.
During the 2019 monitoring season, Owen Beach at Point Defiance Park was sampled 15 times during the sampling period. This beach had excellent water quality, meeting the swimming standard for all periods sampled.
During the 2019 monitoring season, Penrose Point State Park beach was sampled 15 times during the sampling period. This beach had excellent water quality and met the swimming standard for all periods sampled.
During the 2019 monitoring season, Purdy Sandspit County Park beach was sampled 15 times during the sampling period. This beach had excellent water quality, meeting the swimming standards for all periods sampled.
During the 2019 monitoring season, Ruston Way Waterfront Park beach was sampled 16 times. On May 20, sampling results exceeded the safe swimming standard, but subsequent sampling showed that bacteria levels had dropped back down into the safe swimming range. Water quality at this beach was good, with bacteria levels meeting swimming standards during all other periods sampled.
Sunnyside Beach Park was sampled 15 times during the sampling period. This beach had excellent water quality, meeting the swimming standard for all periods sampled.
Titlow Park beach was sampled 15 times during the sampling period. This beach had excellent water quality, meeting the swimming standard during all periods sampled.
Data summary: Bacteria results compared to standards
The chart below summarizes the bacteria levels at Pierce County beaches in relation to the EPA swimming standard or saltwater swimming criteria. Beaches are considered unsafe for swimming when the geometric mean of enterococcus/100 mL of water is greater than or equal to 30 and the statistical threshold value of enterococcus/100 mL is greater than or equal to 110. We issue a public swimming advisory when enterococcus levels exceed 104 per 100 mL of water.
Table: Calculated geometric mean and statistical threshold value at Pierce County beaches (in enterococcus per 100 mL) for 2019
| Beach |
Geometric Mean |
Statistical Threshold Value |
| Dash Point Metro Park |
11 |
18 |
| Jack Hyde Park |
13 |
22 |
| Kopachuck State Park |
<10 |
11 |
| Owen Beach, Point Defiance Park |
11 |
15 |
| Penrose Point State Park |
10 |
14 |
| Purdy Sandspit County Park |
10 |
14 |
| Sunnyside Beach Park |
<10 |
10 |
| Titlow Park |
13 |
22 |
| Waterfront Dock, Ruston Way |
16 |
40 |