South Orange County's BWTF Data Reaching the Community

Five local high schools now participate in the South Orange County Chapter's Blue Water Task Force program. San Clemente and Dana Hills High Schools have been testing the water quality at local beaches as part of an AP science class. The Laguna Beach High School Surfrider Club runs their beach monitoring program during the school year. During the summer community volunteers help collect samples. The BWTF program grew this past year to include science students at Capistrano Valley and Tesoro High Schools.

The students post their beach water quality data in the local newspaper, Laguna Beach Independent, and hang fliers at their schools, surf shops, cafe's and other community bulletin boards. At the end of each school year the Chapter hosts a Clean Water Symposium where each school presents their results. In addition to acknowledging the students efforts over the year, the symposium also provides a venue for interested members of the community and local government to learn about local beach water quality issues. The Clean Water Symposium also helps to raise awareness of the Chapter and its programs within the community.

Congratulations to the South Orange County Chapter and to all of the students for doing a great job at communicating the results of their beach monitoring programs!