Page 68 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2025

GREAT OUTDOORS
Beach Monitoring Made Easy
story by Lynn Lofton
It’s time to enjoy Coastal Mississippi’s delightful sand beaches, and there’s a quick and easy way to check current
monitoring is essential to our mission to safeguard the health of current and future generations. This campaign ensures
68 | July 2025
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
How’s the Water Today?
water conditions before you head to the shore. The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) has launched a new information campaign, featuring ads, rack cards, and an updated website, to raise awareness about how simple it is to check water quality before you head to the beach. In addition to online updates and media alerts, you can now access this information by phone.
“We wanted to meet people where they are and make it easy,” says Executive Director Chris Wells. “Beach
that our residents and visitors have all the information they need to best enjoy our beautiful beaches.”
MDEQ began routinely monitoring coastal water quality through funding from the federal Beach Act, enacted in October 2000 and part of the Clean Water Act. “The Mississippi Beach Monitoring Program website has been updated to provide the public with the most up-to-date information,” said Emily Cotton, MDEQ Head of Biology who has been involved with the Beach Monitoring program