Gulf Shores, Ala. — (GSN) — Following a five-month pause due to a funding shortfall, Mobile Baykeeper announced that its Swim Where It’s Monitored (SWIM) water quality monitoring program is officially relaunching as the CrowderGulf SWIM program. Beginning September 11, 2026, trained community volunteers will resume collecting water samples from public swimming and recreational spots across coastal Alabama. The samples will be processed in Mobile Baykeeper’s laboratory, with results published every Friday throughout September and monthly for the remainder of the year.

First established in 2017, the program monitors 20 high-priority sites in Baldwin and Mobile counties. Volunteers test for Enterococcus and E. coli, which act as fecal indicator bacteria signaling potential sewage contamination and other dangerous pathogens. This crucial return to action is funded through investments from local businesses and organizations, including CrowderGulf Disaster Recovery and Debris Management, Michael and Debbie Quinn, Bay Break Fairhope, Gulf Surgical Dermatology, and Fly Creek Marina.

ADEM also Tests Local Waters

In addition to Mobile Baykeeper's volunteer-led monitoring, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), in cooperation with the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), also routinely tests coastal water quality. Initiated in June 1999, the state's program routinely monitors bacteria levels at 25 high-use or potentially high-risk public recreational sites extending from Perdido Bay to Dauphin Island. ADEM and ADPH employ a three-tiered color-coded advisory system (Green, Yellow, Red) to notify the public when bacteria levels exceed the EPA safe-swimming threshold of 104 colonies per 100 mL of water.

Current Bacteria Levels and Advisories

While the relaunch of the SWIM program provides much-needed transparency, current water conditions present immediate health concerns. Currently, the Mobile Baykeeper's map shows that public piers in Fairhope and the Gulf State Park have high levels of bacteria. Swimmers and families are strongly urged to exercise caution and consult active monitoring resources before entering local waters.

For the latest water quality alerts and interactive maps, visit the Mobile Baykeeper Swim Guide and the ADEM Coastal Beach Monitoring portals.