Silke Jasso
With the weather warming up, Chicagoans are looking for any sign that summer is here and now we can look forward to dipping our toes in the sand as the beaches are officially open for the season.
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The Chicago Park District announced city beaches are open and will remain open through Sept. 4.
With sunblock on and cool drinks ready to go, beach goers may notice a few changes at some beaches including size and a new water quality testing program. Water levels are high this year so some beaches may appear smaller as the water consumes more of the sandy space than usual, as Rare Chicago wrote earlier.
In addition, a new water quality testing program is being implemented in some areas as a way to keep beach goers more informed. The Rapid Testing method is set to expand at Chicago beaches this summer, according to NBC.
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The new testing method will communicate results through a website with hope of making it easier for Chicagoans to get results. It will also include a beach hotline and a flag system on display at various sites.
Officials told NBC the new method should only take two to three hours to yield results and the park district plans to partner with the University of Illinois at Chicago to more efficiently test the samples. This is all with the hopes of delivering more accurate information to those looking to hit the beach on any particular summer day.
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“That means, you know, that what we’re telling you about the water quality is current,” Cathy Breitenbach, director of Cultural and Natural Resources, told NBC.
With a more effective system in place, beach goers can start packing their bags and make the trip over to one of several beautiful places to catch some sun in the windy city. Just make sure the beach is displaying a green flag because, as always, green means go and will indicate clean water at the beach.
