By Danielle Bongiovanni and J.M. Meyer

The third pathogen monitoring session of the month occurred on Thursday, July 17. Every Thursday during the summer, from May to October, the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership and Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County run a volunteer-based monitoring program along the Raritan River. We collect water quality samples at six non-bathing public access beach sites, provide our samples to the Interstate Environmental Commission for analysis in their laboratory, and report the results to the public on Friday afternoons. Our mission is to share this data with the community and partners to ensure the safe use of the Raritan river for all.

We could not perform this service without the cooperation of our community and university partners, especially Rutgers University! This week, four members of the Rutgers community joined us at Rutgers Boathouse to look for pathogens. Our guests included Executive Dean Laura Lawson, Executive Vice Chancellor Jason Geary, Assoc. Professor Michele Bakacs, and Professor of Landscape Architecture David Tulloch, who also serves as a LRWP board member.

Our lab results for water quality samples taken on Thursday, July 17, 2025 show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at FOUR (4) of our monitoring sites this week. Problem sites are indicated by red frowns on the map and chart which includes: Riverside Park (Piscataway), Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), and Edison Boat Launch (Edison Township). Green smiles on the chart and map indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation, and include the following: Raritan Bay Waterfront Park (South Amboy) and 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy).

Pathogens/Enterococci levels are used as indicators of the possible presence of disease-causing bacteria in recreational waters. Such pathogens may pose health risks to people coming in primary contact with the water (touching) through recreational activities like fishing, kayaking or swimming in a water body. Possible sources of bacteria include Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), improperly functioning wastewater treatment plants, stormwater runoff, leaking septic systems, animal carcasses, and runoff from manure storage areas.

Our goal in reporting these results is to give residents a better understanding of the potential health risks related to primary contact during water-based recreation. If you are planning on recreating on the Raritan this weekend, make sure to stay safe and wash up after any activities!