Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Colleen Chawla, Chief, County Health
Heather Forshey, Director, Environmental Health Services
Subject: Authorization to Apply for and Accept All Available Recreational Beach Monitoring Program Funds from the State Water Resources Control Board
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing:
A) The County of San Mateo to apply for and accept all available funds from the State Water Resources Control Board for Recreational Beach Monitoring Programs for Fiscal Years 2025-26 through 2027-28; and
B) The Chief of County Health or designee to execute in the name of San Mateo County all necessary applications, agreements, amendments, payment requests, and all other documents necessary for the purposes of securing grant funds, implementing the approved grant projects, and carrying out the purposes specified in the grant applications for Fiscal Years 2025-26 through 2027-28.
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BACKGROUND:
Section 115875-115915 of the California Health and Safety Code (H&S Code) requires coastal counties to perform beach sampling and public notification on coastal and San Francisco Bay beaches. Monitoring standards have been developed by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).
The San Mateo County Health Environmental Health Services Division (EHS) collects water samples from public beaches to evaluate the presence of unhealthy levels of bacteria. When bacterial counts exceed H&S Code standards, the public is notified by beach postings, website updates, email notifications, and a telephone hotline. The purpose of the public notification is to help reduce and prevent the spread of disease.
DISCUSSION:
EHS has received grant funds from CDPH and SWRCB for recreational beach monitoring programs since 1999. CDPH and SWRCB grantees are generally given a three-week turnaround to submit a fu...
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