After a five-month pause, Mobile Baykeeper announced Friday that its Swim Where It’s Monitored, or SWIM, water quality monitoring program is relaunching as the CrowderGulf SWIM program.
Beginning September 11, trained community volunteers will collect water samples from public swimming and recreational areas across coastal Alabama. The samples will be analyzed in Mobile Baykeeper’s lab, with swim season test results published every Friday through September and monthly for the remainder of the year.
SWIM testing began in 2017 and was paused by Mobile Baykeeper in April because of a funding shortfall. The initiative operated 20 bacteria testing sites at swimming locations on Mobile Bay and the Gulf Coast in Baldwin and Mobile counties.
“When SWIM paused, our community let us know just how much they relied on it,” Mobile Baykeeper Executive Director William Strickland said.
“Families use SWIM to decide where to swim, and they know its absence changed the way they lived. Several businesses stepped up to fill the gap in funding, and we are now able to employ people to run the program,” Strickland added. “Volunteers stepped up to make the program more affordable and community-centered. The community has chosen to help their neighbors across Coastal Alabama have access to reliable water-quality information while we can continue the work of defending and reviving our waters and our way of life.”
The program’s return was made possible by investments from CrowderGulf Disaster Recovery and Debris Management, Michael and Debbie Quinn, Bay Break Fairhope, Gulf Surgical Dermatology and Fly Creek Marina.
“For decades, CrowderGulf has been proud to call Alabama’s coast home,” CrowderGulf Senior Vice President Reid Loper said. “We’ve seen firsthand how these waters sustain local communities, support livelihoods, and shape the way of life we all share. Supporting SWIM’s return is one small way we can give back, help protect these vital waters, and empower people with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions.”
According to Mobile Baykeeper, the program is relaunching at the organization’s “highest priority” sites, with plans to expand if additional funding becomes available. Newly planned testing sites will be announced on Mobile Baykeeper’s website September 8.
“There is still a need for our community to help,” Strickland said. “We need more sponsors and volunteers to be able to add more sites and track down more sources of bacteria problem areas. If you want to join with your community in helping your neighbor, you can email us at [email protected].”
Results will be published on Mobile Baykeeper’s website and the Swim Guide app and sent to subscribers by email.
