KPBS Evening Edition

San Diego Officials Unveil New Way To Check Water Quality At Beaches

By Dwane Brown / KPBS Evening Edition Anchor/Reporter

Published May 12, 2014 at 2:23 PM PDT

This story was published more than 10 years ago.

A sign warns beach-goers to stay out of the water because of contamination.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors and the county Department of Environmental Health unveiled Monday a new way for beach-goers to check the water quality at more than 80 beaches throughout the county, and to find a new destination if they’ve arrived at a closed beach.

Signs at county beaches will now be equipped with a QR code, a matrix barcode that people can scan with an app on their phone.

“This code will immediately bring you to our beach quality map and that map will show you exactly where the closest beach is, and you’ll also be able to find out and make sure that beach is open because of the good water quality,” Supervisor Greg Cox said.

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Cox said the goal is to protect surfers, divers and the general public from contaminated waters.

You can see a map of San Diego beaches and their water quality status on the county’s beach water quality website.

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Dwane Brown

Brown started his career with KPBS in the early '90s as a radio anchor and reporter before expanding his broadcast news experience at CBS radio and television in New York. He’s been a news director, anchor, reporter and correspondent in San Francisco and has worked as a writer, producer, assignment editor and talk show host. He returned to KPBS in 2005. As the former anchor for KPBS Evening Edition, Brown provided an in-depth look at issues and stories relevant to San Diego. He spent nearly seven years as anchor/host of Morning Edition on KPBS Radio. Between 2006 and 2010, the San Diego Press Club named Brown "Best Morning Newscaster" in San Diego Radio. In 2006, the Society of Professional Journalists also named him "Best Morning Newscaster." During that time he managed and taught a two-week high school boot camp for aspiring radio reporters at KPBS in conjunction with the California Chicano News Media Association. Brown studied English/Journalism at San Diego State University and is a Fast Trac graduate from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. He’s a popular public speaker and Toastmaster International member. He’s been master of ceremonies for the American Red Cross, VA Medical Center San Diego, Urban League, San Diego Office of Emergency Services and numerous foundations. Brown is also a voice actor for movie, documentary, television, radio and Internet projects.

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