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 2018, 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 21 – Aug. 31, 2018. 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 excellent with bacterial levels meeting the swimming standards during all periods sampled.
Jack Hyde Park beach was sampled 16 times during the sampling period. On June 11, sample results were in the advisory range, but subsequent sampling showed that bacterial levels dropped into the safe swimming range. Water quality at this beach was good and met the swimming standard for all other periods sampled.
During the 2018 monitoring season, Kopachuck State Park beach was sampled 15 times. This beach has excellent water quality and met the swimming standard for all periods sampled.
A shoreline survey was conducted at this beach by BEACH Program staff on June 12, 2018.
During the 2018 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 2018 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.
A shoreline survey was conducted at this beach by BEACH Program staff on June 12, 2018.
During the 2018 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 2018 monitoring season, Ruston Way Waterfront Park beach was sampled 15 times. Water quality at this beach was very good with bacteria levels meeting swimming standards during all periods sampled.
Sunnyside Beach Park was sampled 15 times during the sampling period. This beach had very good 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 35 and the statistical threshold value of enterococcus/100 mL is greater than or equal to 276. We issue a public swimming advisory when enterococcus levels reach 104 per 100 mL of water.
Table: Calculated geometric mean and statistical threshold value at Pierce County beaches (in enterococcus per 100 mL) for 2018
| Beach |
Geometric Mean |
Statistical Threshold Value |
| Dash Point Metro Park |
<10 |
11 |
| Jack Hyde Park |
16 |
41 |
| Kopachuck State Park |
10 |
14 |
| Owen Beach, Point Defiance Park |
10 |
14 |
| Penrose Point State Park |
10 |
12 |
| Purdy Sandspit County Park |
10 |
17 |
| Sunnyside Beach Park |
12 |
25 |
| Titlow Park |
14 |
225 |
| Waterfront Dock, Ruston Way |
16 |
37 |