An 11-foot custom surfboard, outfitted with sampling bottle and water quality monitoring equipment holders, will be used to monitor bacteria levels at selected surf sites on O'ahu. The first surf sites to be monitored will be at Waikiki, in time for the summer south swell season. The branch also conducts regular shoreline water sampling.

"While we have done some surf site sampling before by boat, this new surfboard will let us get samples in the surf zone," said Watson Okubo, Monitoring & Analysis Section Chief, DOH Clean Water Branch. "Hawai'i's ocean water quality is usually good, and this new tool will help us learn more about the quality of water people play in." Okubo noted that ongoing testing and water quality monitoring is essential as the ocean can become polluted by runoff from streams, storm drains, and waste water spills.

To assess bacteria levels at surf sites fronting the Waikiki Beach, CWB staff surfer Josh Marvit will use the surfboard to collect water samples at two surf sites, three times a week, as part of an ongoing special study being done in cooperation with the University of Hawai'i Medical School and the Surfrider Foundation O'ahu Chapter.

"The Department of Health lab will analyze the water samples to determine bacteria levels in the waters of the surf zones. If the levels are high, those using those waters have a greater risk of contracting gastrointestinal sicknesses such as diarrhea," says Okubo.

To notify the public about unsafe water quality, the DOH issues news releases and posts warning messages on the CWB website at http://emdweb.doh.hawaii.gov/CleanWaterBranch/CurrentWarnings/default.aspx.