INDIANAPOLIS — Thanks to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s (IDEM) updated BeachAlert notification system, beachgoers can “know before they go!”
BeachAlert allows residents to sign up for text and e-mail notifications about beach advisories and closures due to bacteria levels. More than 35 beaches participate in the program, providing real-time status updates on beach conditions. BeachAlert also allows users to check if their favorite beaches are under a contamination advisory or closure, check water sample results, and find out information on the organization responsible for monitoring the beach.
The most common cause of beach closures is elevated levels of E. Coli, the indicator bacteria used to determine potential human health risks in beach recreational waters. Using guidelines established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), IDEM requires that either an Advisory or Closure be issued at a beach whenever a single sample result exceeds 235 colony forming units (cfu) per 100 milliliters (mL). To help determine our beaches’ E. coli levels, IDEM works with local organizations to perform water quality monitoring and notification activities at participating beaches.
Users can sign up to receive BeachAlert notifications by e-mail or mobile device by visiting: portal.idem.IN.gov/BeachAlert