Water is never too far away in Whatcom County, and that’s one reason many people decide to live here.
Whether you’re cold plunging at one of our beautiful local beaches, jumping off Taylor Dock, paddling in Mud Bay, or floating the Nooksack River on a hot summer day, being in the water is a way of life. But sadly, our local waters are not always as clean as we’d like—and in some instances, can even make people sick. Recognizing and reporting on when and where this happens is incredibly important to public health, and now, thanks to a new reporting system from Whatcom County Health and Community Services (WCHCS), it is easier than ever!
This new reporting system evolved from a great partnership between RE Sources and WCHCS and illustrates what can happen when community organizations work alongside local governments. We all benefit from better protections of public health and our waterways.
If you feel that you may have gotten sick from playing in water, there is now a way to report this!
Here’s how you do it:
- Visit Whatcom County Health and Community Services Website at: https://www.whatcomcounty.us/4307/Health-and-Community-Services
- Click “I Want To” in the top menu
- Click “File a Complaint or Report a Problem”
- Fill out the form and press” Submit”
Why are we excited about this?
Pacific Northwest summers are getting hotter and drier, and more and more people are making this beautiful place their home. We are also seeing more access to the waterfront as this region is getting cleaned up from decades of industrial use. Case in point, cleanup at the RG Haley and Cornwall Avenue Landfill sites in Bellingham have just commenced. In a few years, this area will be transformed into a new waterfront park called the Salish Landing. With more people in the water every year, there are more opportunities for people to come in contact with polluted water so we are thrilled to see this new reporting system available. It will help track illnesses associated with water recreation, so we can learn if this is a common problem and where there may be recurring issues.
Being on and in the water is fun, therapeutic, and good exercise and we encourage people to take advantage of a favorite watering hole or to try a new water adventure, but we also want people to be safe. It’s important to recognize that when recreating in water that is adjacent or downstream from industry, urban development, and agriculture it is likely to be polluted, especially after it rains. When rain hits roads, sidewalks, parking lots, roofs, and lawns it transports all of the debris that has accumulated directly into the water without treatment. There may be gasoline, bacteria, pesticides, metals, trash, and more in the water after it rains. Therefore, it’s important to avoid swimming in urban and agricultural waterways for at least 48 hours after it has rained. If the water looks or smells dirty, it likely is, and it is best to not go in!
Thank you Whatcom County Health and Community Services for listening to the community and providing this service to help keep us all safe!
Funded in part by a Public Participation Grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology.