Surfrider Palm Beach County

The Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) is the Surfrider Foundation’s citizen science program which provides valuable water quality information to beach communities, raises awareness of local water pollution problems and works collaboratively with local stakeholders to implement solutions.

Surfrider’s network of volunteer-run BWTF labs measure bacteria levels at ocean and bay beaches and in freshwater sources, and compare them to the national water quality standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency to protect public health in recreational waters.

The Palm Beach County Chapter started their Blue Water Task force program as a result of growing concerns regarding a lack of water quality information. The Chapter partners with two local high schools, Jupiter High School and Forest Hill High School, to run this water testing program and provide information to the public. Volunteers from the Palm Beach County Chapter collect water samples from local beaches, and they are brought to the schools to be processed.