A Community-based Recreational Water Quality Monitoring Study at Glynn County
Abstract
Brunswick, GA is home to four Superfund sites contaminated by legacy chemicals that pose environmental health risks. These sites disproportionately affect the residents of downtown Brunswick’s majority-minority and economically disadvantaged residents. Since the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, more residents have begun subsistence fishing in Terry Creek, an impaired waterway, despite fishing advisories. Through community-based participatory research principles, this project aimed to improve environmental literacy and public health promotion in recreational waters in this region. The Institute for Water and Health team trained twelve pastors for water quality sample collection protocols certified by the state’s Adopt-A-Stream program. The locations of sampling sites were co-selected after initial site visits with the participants. A water quality laboratory was set up in the community center equipped with the instruments, materials, and reagents needed for sampling and analysis. A total of six sampling events were conducted at six sites, and the samples were analyzed for microbiological and chemical contaminants. Most of the sites (Sites 1, 2, 5, and 6) were continuously above microbiological guidance levels at all times, and Sites 3 and 4 exceeded this limit for 83.4% of the sampling events. The highest level of bacteria was detected at Site 3, with 7296.67 MPN/100mL, which is 100 times higher than the guidance value (70 CFU/100 ml) for recreational activities. This is an ongoing project where the goal is to provide skill sets for the communities, enhancing capacity for science driven decision making. Additional samples are collected simultaneously to test for legacy chemicals at IWH labs and are currently under analysis. Results will be shared during a town hall meeting, and additional educational activities will be implemented as the project continues.
Keywords
community-based research, water quality, environmental justice, advocacy, water contamination EPA superfund sites
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A Community-based Recreational Water Quality Monitoring Study at Glynn County
Brunswick, GA is home to four Superfund sites contaminated by legacy chemicals that pose environmental health risks. These sites disproportionately affect the residents of downtown Brunswick’s majority-minority and economically disadvantaged residents. Since the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, more residents have begun subsistence fishing in Terry Creek, an impaired waterway, despite fishing advisories. Through community-based participatory research principles, this project aimed to improve environmental literacy and public health promotion in recreational waters in this region. The Institute for Water and Health team trained twelve pastors for water quality sample collection protocols certified by the state’s Adopt-A-Stream program. The locations of sampling sites were co-selected after initial site visits with the participants. A water quality laboratory was set up in the community center equipped with the instruments, materials, and reagents needed for sampling and analysis. A total of six sampling events were conducted at six sites, and the samples were analyzed for microbiological and chemical contaminants. Most of the sites (Sites 1, 2, 5, and 6) were continuously above microbiological guidance levels at all times, and Sites 3 and 4 exceeded this limit for 83.4% of the sampling events. The highest level of bacteria was detected at Site 3, with 7296.67 MPN/100mL, which is 100 times higher than the guidance value (70 CFU/100 ml) for recreational activities. This is an ongoing project where the goal is to provide skill sets for the communities, enhancing capacity for science driven decision making. Additional samples are collected simultaneously to test for legacy chemicals at IWH labs and are currently under analysis. Results will be shared during a town hall meeting, and additional educational activities will be implemented as the project continues.
