Community Water Quality Testing
SWIM Coalition is proud to facilitate the annual CWQT community science program
What is CWQT?
The Community Water Quality Testing (CWQT) program is a participatory science program currently facilitated by Storm Water Infrastructure Matters (SWIM) Coalition, alongside 15+ partner labs and community-based organizations. Over the past 15 years, CWQT has engaged community scientists, partnering institutions, and students in testing surface water from the NY – NJ Estuary for bacteria that can be harmful to humans.
As part of SWIM’s mission to ensure fishable and swimmable waters, CWQT aims to increase equitable access and recreational opportunities along NYC’s waterfront by consistently reporting on the health of New York Harbor, using data to drive advocacy around stormwater management and the need for green infrastructure (GI) in the face of extreme rainfall and combined sewer overflows.
Dive into the Data!
CWQT partner labs use the EPA-approved Idexx Enteroalert system to test for enterococci bacteria, a fecal indicator bacteria that is found in the intestinal tract of warm blooded animals. This enterococcus data can be compared to City, State, and Federal surface water guidelines for primary and secondary contact.
Though not all of NYC’s harbor is classified for swimming (primary contact recreation), CWQT has historically compared single day results to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DoH) standards for swimming, which allows us to imagine a future where all of NYC’s coastline is used and accessed like a public beach.
For 20 weeks of the year single day results, collected on Thursday mornings, are compared to DoH standards, and color coded on our weekly results spreadsheet to match a simplified DoH standard: green means acceptable bacteria levels for primary contact; yellow means that recreational users should use caution and a beach advisory may be issued; and red indicates bacteria levels that would result in a beach closure and are too high for primary contact. Data can be paired with rainfall and tide information to make informed decisions about water quality and its potential impact on human health throughout the NY - NJ Estuary.
After 15 seasons of CWQT sampling volunteer community scientists, students, researchers, and community based organizations have collected over 15,000 samples from 160 unique sites around New York Harbor!
Use the map below to view past and present water quality testing sites, with links to data going back as far as 2011:
Map Key:
Blue icons = boat launches, piers, promenades, and other access points where volunteers collect water samples
Green stars = the locations of partner laboratories, where samples are processed during the current CWQT season
Yellow icons = historic CWQT sites that do not have an active sampler and are not actively collecting data
Gray stars = the locations of lab partners that are inactive in the current season
Looking for more? Find data and metadata for previous years in the CWQT Master Data Sheet.
Our History & Partners
From 2011 to 2021 the CWQT program was founded and managed by volunteers of the New York City Water Trail Association, Nancy Brous and Rob Buchanan. After a pilot season in 2011, by 2012 the program had began regularly sampling at 22 locations with partners CUNY LaGuardia Community College and The River Project, now known as the Hudson River Park Trust. From 2022 through 2024, Billion Oyster Project coordinated and managed the CWQT program, with SWIM Coalition taking over the management role in the 2026 season.
CWQT is made possible by a network of labs. educational institutions, and community partners working throughout the Ny - NJ Estuary. Our 2026 partner labs include Sarah Lawrence Center for the Urban River, Bronx River Alliance, Rocking the Boat, Randall's Island Park Alliance, CUNY John Jay College, Hudson River Park's River Project, CUNY Queens College, SWIM Coalition at Queens Landing Boathouse and Environmental Center, Solar One Environmental Center at Stuyvesant Cove Park, Interstate Environmental Commission, and Monsignor Farrell High School.
Contact Us
Stay up to date with the latest CWQT data, news, and opportunities by subscribing to the CWQT newsletter.
For press inquiries or more information about how to get involved as a sampler or community partner please out to waterquality@swimmablenyc.org.