Have you ever made your way down to the beach, but noticed a sign telling you that it wasn’t safe to swim?
The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services conducts water sampling and testing across 122 beaches in the state, stretching from Cherry Grove Beach to the south end of Hilton Head Island.
These tests are conducted twice a month from May to October across the state, but Myrtle Beach area beaches are sampled weekly, according to the SCDES.
What do they test the water for?
The SCDES largely tests for enterococci bacteria. It’s commonly found in the human gut and urinary tract and can cause skin, eye, ear and respiratory tract infections…