Current US EPA protocols for water testing as a means for determining whether bathing areas and/or shellfishing areas should be open or closed utilize a process that involves a 24-hour delay between collecting water samples, obtaining the results and making decisions. Furthermore, those decisions are being made based on the presence or absence of indicator organisms, as actual pathogens are not being tested for and sources of bacteria are unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine bacterial DNA to identify the actual sources of bacteria in order to scientifically evaluate the true risk to public health.