Summer begins this Sunday (21) with 19 beaches on the coast of São Paulo unsuitable for swimming in nine municipalities. This is highlighted by the beach quality mapping carried out by Cetesb (Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo).
The updated scenario map on the north coast, Baixada Santista and south coast of São Paulo indicates that 10.8% of the 175 points monitored by Cetesb are not suitable for swimming. Last year, summer started with 18 inappropriate spots in seven cities.
According to Cetesb, the mapping shows that Baixada concentrates inappropriate places this week, with 14 points, compared to 5 on the north coast.
This week, Santos has four unsuitable locations, as does Praia Grande, while São Vicente has three. Guarujá, Itanhaém and Peruíbe each have an inappropriate point.
In Santos, Embaré, Boqueirão, Gonzaga and José Menino (Rua Olavo Bilac) are not suitable for swimming, while in Praia Grande the unsuitable places this week are Canto do Forte, Vila Mirim, Maracanã and Jardim Solemar.
On the north coast, Ubatuba has two unsuitable locations (both on Itaguá beach), the same number as Caraguatatuba (Centro and Indaiá). São Francisco Beach, in São Sebastião, is also not suitable for swimming.
The scenario is better than that recorded at the beginning of the month, when there were 36 unsuitable beaches throughout the coast of São Paulo. Last week there were 16.
Cetesb technicians normally collect the collection in the middle of the beach, where most bathers enter the sea, always in the same area, at the same time and at a depth of one meter. The objective is to guarantee the standardization of measurements.
Then, the samples are analyzed in the laboratory using suitable culture media and greenhouses and observed under a microscope.
Based on the count of Enterocos, the beach is classified as suitable or unsuitable. To receive the red flag, two or more samples from the last five weeks must have more than 100 enterococcal colonies per 100 ml of water, or when the most recent sample exceeds 400 colonies per 100 ml.
The classification of beaches according to bathing capacity follows Resolution 274 of Conama (National Environmental Council). According to Cetesb, the legislation establishes three indicators to assess fecal pollution: thermotolerant coliforms (formerly called fecal coliforms), Escherichia coli and enterococci.
The five-week history is intended to indicate that the assessment represents a real trend and not just a specific change in water quality.
Swimming in areas considered unsuitable for swimming can lead to health problems, including gastrointestinal or skin diseases, such as fungal infections.
In total, Cetesb currently monitors 175 locations on the beaches of 15 municipalities, of which 163 are analyzed every week – the rest are monitored monthly.
HOW TO CHOOSE A CLEAN BEACH
There are four mechanisms to provide bathers with the scenario of the 175 monitored beaches in the state: the map with the updated scenario, the website, the Cetesb application (available for Android and iOS) and the flags installed at all measurement locations.
The Cetesb system is carried out with weekly updates so that swimmers can consult and define the most suitable beach for swimming in the city where they are or intend to visit, according to the manager of the coastal waters sector of Cetesb, Cláudia Lamparelli. Data is updated on Thursdays.
“‘Ah, I’m going to Praia Grande, let me see what beaches are available there’. Finally, you even stay on one beach, but then you go to the beach that is available. There are people who consult us before closing the hotel, before renting a house,” said the director.
She suggests beachgoers monitor beach behavior throughout the year, as some beaches rarely become unsuitable. “If you rent something on a beach like this, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll have a beautiful beach.”
In addition to official information, there are other measures that bathers should take, such as paying attention to the weather, not only of the day, but also of previous ones.
“The advice is not to swim in the sea after very intense rains, at least in the first 24 hours. What does an unsuitable beach mean? It means that it presents a health risk. It is therefore preferable to avoid beaches classified as unsuitable, as well as beaches after very intense rains, by not taking your pet, your dog, to the beach. They can also be a source of contamination”, he explained.
Rain contributes to the transport of sediment from the streets to the sea, hence bathers are advised to avoid the beach in these conditions, even if it has been classified as suitable.
Additionally, streams, rivers, and canals that flow onto the beach should be avoided, as they may receive illegal sewage, and beachgoers should be alert for algae blooms, spots containing oil, or accidental releases of pollutants.
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