EPA Grant fund Beach Watch

AUSTIN — The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a $379,140 grant to the Texas General Land office to fund a public awareness campaign for the state’s Beach Watch program.

Through the Galveston County Health District, the state monitors levels of enterococcus bacteria in the waters along the island’s beaches. Other entities perform the test at 163 stations along the entire Texas coast.

The bacteria thrives in water contaminated by storm or sewage runoff.

When bacteria levels are elevated, signs at beach entrances warn swimmers they could come into contact with disease-causing microorganisms.

Water samples are collected weekly between May and September and every other week between October and April.

During the past five years, Texas has received more than $2.5 million in federal funding for the Beach Watch Program, according to the land office Web site.

To check bacteria levels, visit: www.glo.state.tx.us/coastal/beachwatch.