Raritan River Pathogen Results for 08.27.2026

August 28, 2026

By J.M Meyer

The final pathogen monitoring session of the month took place on Thursday, August 27th. Each week 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. Our mission is to share this data with the community and partners to ensure the safe use of the Raritan River for all.

Our lab results for water quality samples taken on Thursday, August 27th, 2026, show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at two of our regular monitoring sites this week. The problem sites are indicated by the red frown on the map and chart and include Riverside Park (Piscataway) and Edison Boat Basin.

Green smiles on the chart and map indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and include the following: Rutgers Boat House (New Brunswick), Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville), 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy), and South Amboy Waterfront Park.

A note of caution about all our sites: a strong thunderstorm swept through the area after we completed pathogens monitoring on Thursday, and this often flushes enterococci and fecal into the river. Thus, if we had tested on Friday instead of Thursday, we suspect these sites may have failed to meet the EPA standard for primary contact.

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, pet waste, wildlife waste, and runoff from manure storage areas.

In order to better understand why Riverside Park, Piscataway has been our worst performing site over the past six years, we have started sampling at new sites in the vicinity. On August 27th, we sampled the Raritan Canal Lock 5, Somerset County for a fourth time since we started pathogens monitoring this season. The lab analysis produced 120 enterococci cfu per 100mL which fails to meet the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL. For the first time, a canal site has failed the test!

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!

Mike Orsini captured this photo of Riverside Park, Piscataway, from the far shore. From this angle, you can better understand how the plastic ‘floating docks’ along the Raritan are designed to rise and fall with the waters. The large steel piers hold the dock in place.
The asphalt boat ramp at Piscataway is starting to erode away and slide into the river due to stormwater runoff from the parking lot. There are some easy fixes for this, like small settlement ponds, rip rap stone, and rain gardens.
The team was captivated by the mushrooms that sprang up in a circle around a honey locust tree in New Brunswick. Photo by Olesya Nabakova.
In this photo from Olesya Nabakova, we see Endurance, Ashley, and Paula record results from the sonde. In the background, Mike and John collect trash on the far shore of the canal. This image looks quiet, but the roar of Lock 5 was quite loud.
Mike has become the relentless litter gatherer of our group. Here he sweeps the shore in Edison. The five gallon buckets help us measure how much we have cleaned up. Photo by Olesya Nabokova.
Paula, Endurance, Olesya, and Ashley record the sonde results after ‘tagging’ LRWP in the sands of South Amboy.
Mike became the ‘Burger King’ of South Amboy after finding a paper crown in the parking lot. A fact that regularly amazes the team is how many people leave their litter behind. Photo by Olesya Nabokova.
Runoff from the boat ramp in Perth Amboy is eroding the beach and exposing a gravel subsurface, as well as buried baby wipes and sanitary products from the nearby combined sewer outfall.
A dead juvenile seagull on the beach in Perth Amboy.
After the water monitoring session, Mike, Ashley, Paula, Endurance and John said ‘farewell’ to August by viewing the Raritan River from downtown New Brunswick.

We also wish Ashley and Endurance a spectacular ‘good luck’ as they head into another semester at Rutgers! They contributed tremendously to the success of this year’s pathogens monitoring program, and we can’t wait to see what they do next! The Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership is so thankful to have such tremendous and dedicated group!