Online tool makes it easy to beat the heat

With the summer swimming season upon us, the Maryland Department of the Environment is urging the public to use its online water quality tool before jumping into your favorite natural waters.

“Nothing is better than spending the day swimming in the Chesapeake Bay and our wonderful waterways with friends and family,” Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain said in a release. “While swimming in natural waters is never risk free, routine monitoring for indicator bacteria will help ensure that a little sand in your shoes and lots of happy memories are the only things you take home with you​.”

Beaches were open for swimming with no cautionary health advisories more than 98% of the time last summer, according to MDE's latest progress report. This marked the 19th consecutive year that the rate was 96% or greater.

The state's beach monitoring program, which supports tourism and the recreation industry, is available each year from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. The website includes a map with color-coded status reports on beaches throughout the state.

Here are some helpful tips when swimming in natural waters:

• Avoid swimming within 48 hours of a heavy rain event;

• Try not to swallow the water;

• Pick up waste left by your pets and dispose of it in the trash;

• When boating, use an approved marina pump-out station for waste disposal;

• Do not feed seagulls or other wildlife;

• Avoid swimming if you feel ill or have open cuts or sores; and

• If water contact can’t be avoided, cover your open cut or sore with waterproof bandages.

To check the water quality at a Maryland beach using the interactive mapping tool, go to mde.maryland.gov/beaches.