Blue Water Task Force

The Blue Water Task Force is Surfrider’s volunteer water quality monitoring program that provides critical water quality information to protect public health at the beach. Surfrider chapters use this program to raise awareness of local pollution problems and to bring together communities to implement solutions.

Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) labs measure fecal indicator bacteria levels in recreational waters and compare them to water quality standards set to protect public health. Chapter-run BWTF programs fill in the gaps and extend the coverage of agency-run beach monitoring programs by sampling ocean and bay beaches, estuaries and potential freshwater sources of pollution such as stormwater outlets, rivers and creeks that discharge onto the beach.

Each year the Maui chapter compiles an annual report of our findings on local water quality. In it you can find detailed information about how we conduct water testing, where we conduct our testing and the data we've collected. 

In 2023, trained BWTF volunteers sampled 16 sites monthly on the North and South shores. Seven sites were added in Lāhainā after the fire and four sites were sampled in Hāna. Overall, 154 samples were collected. Samples were processed at the Pāʻia Youth & Cultural Center.

Our BWTF team maintains a regular four week interval between sampling
and will sample both after rain events and during Brown Water Advisories
(barring dangerous conditions). This ensures that the BWTF data set
captures water quality information during both wet and dry conditions. This
data allows us to gain a more comprehensive understanding of water quality conditions on Maui.

Surfrider Foundation Maui performs water quality testing on north end beaches from Maliko Bay to Waihe'e Beach Park, as well as a handful of sites in Hana on the east end. Samples are collected and processed at our lab at the University of Hawaii Maui once a month.

 Our BWTF data augments the beach monitoring program conducted by the Hawaii Department of Health beach monitoring program, and provides information for the public about local water quality conditions.

If you are interested in becoming a BWTF volunteer, please contact bwtf@maui.surfrider.org

General Blue Water Task Force Information

• Frequently Asked Questions

• Planning a Water Testing Program

• One-Stop-Shop for Beach Water Quality Monitoring across the U.S.

Blue Water Task Force Publications:

• Surfrider's 2021 Clean Water Report

• On Surfrider's Coastal Blog: Clean Water & Blue Water Task Force Stories

Standard Operating Procedures: Sampling and Lab Instructions:

• Data Sheet

• Water Sampling Instructions & Written Lab Instructions 

• Participatory Waiver

Local Water Quality Resources:

• Maui County Water Quality Reporting
  
  

• HDOH Clean Water Branch Beach Water Quality Advisories

• Maui BWTF Annual Report 2020