This week the Martin County Health Department is installing signs at popular swimming spots to alert the public about water quality. The signs are being put in as part of the state's "Healthy Beaches" program and are designed to notify beachgoers whether it is safe to swim.

The signs will be installed at beach entry points and feature a website address and a phone number for the Health Department.

If an advisory is necessary, representatives from the Health Department can flip up the bottom part of the sign to reveal an alert that says "HIGH BACTERIA LEVELS. SWIMMING IS NOT RECOMMENDED. INCREASED RISK OF ILLNESS AT THIS TIME."

"Fortunately, there have been few problems in the past with our ocean beaches, but should there be an issue, the signs will be an important way for us to quickly notify beachgoers of high bacteria levels." said Bob Washam, Environmental Health Director at the Health Department.

Environmental Health Specialists have been testing beach water qualityfor disease causing bacteria, since 2000 . Samples are now collected weekly and tested from nine locations including: Jensen Public Beach, Jensen Beach Causeway, Bob Graham Beach, Stuart Public Beach, Stuart Causeway, Roosevelt Bridge, Bathtub Beach, Hobe Sound Wildlife Refuge and Hobe Sound Public Beach.

Results from the water sampling can be viewed under the "Programs" section of www.myfloridaeh.com, then clicking on "Beach Water Quality".

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