It's a New Day in Public Health.
The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.
Healthy Beaches Program
Environmental Public Health
- 850-983-5275
- EHealth@flhealth.gov
-
Fax
850-983-5278 -
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 929
Milton, FL 32572-0929
Physical Address:
Environmental Public Health
5505 Stewart St.
Milton, FL, 32570
850-983-5275
Monday–Friday
8 a.m.–1 p.m.
2 p.m.–4 p.m.
Closed for lunch
1 p.m.-2 p.m.
Santa Rosa County is part of Florida's Healthy Beaches water sampling program which was initially started in 1998 with a pilot program that included 11 Florida coastal counties. Beach water sampling is conducted every two weeks and the results are reported on the DOH Healthy Beaches website and in local news media.
Water samples are analyzed for enterococci bacteria that normally inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and animals. The presence of these bacteria in the environment may be an indication of fecal pollution which may come from storm water runoff, pets, wildlife, and/or human sewage.
Santa Rosa County Water Sampling Locations
The Florida Department of Health in Santa Rosa County currently collects samples from four locations:
High concentrations of enterococci in recreational waters may cause human disease, infections, or rashes if they are ingested while swimming or enter the skin through a cut or sore. The Division of Environmental Health issues health advisories when elevated concentrations of these bacteria are confirmed.
Links
For more information on the Healthy Beaches program, visit Florida Healthy Beaches Program website.To view the status of local sampling in Santa Rosa County, visit Santa Rosa County results.
For more information regarding beach monitoring programs, please visit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
Connect with DOH