Opal Beach Water Quality

Escambia County, Florida

Good

The latest test found low bacteria levels (35 or fewer per 100 mL).

Latest test
Nov 2, 2026 (3 days ago)
Enterococci
10 per 100 mL
Past 12 months
18 of 20 tests Good, 2 Poor

Results over time

101001000May 23, 2022: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jun 6, 2022: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jun 20, 2022: 20 per 100 mL (Good)Jul 5, 2022: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jul 18, 2022: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Aug 1, 2022: 20 per 100 mL (Good)Aug 15, 2022: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Aug 29, 2022: 10 per 100 mL (Good)May 30, 2023: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jun 12, 2023: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jun 26, 2023: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jul 10, 2023: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jul 24, 2023: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Aug 7, 2023: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Aug 21, 2023: 600 per 100 mL (Poor)Aug 23, 2023: 10 per 100 mL (Good)May 20, 2024: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jun 3, 2024: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jun 17, 2024: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jul 1, 2024: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jul 15, 2024: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jul 29, 2024: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Aug 12, 2024: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Aug 26, 2024: 10 per 100 mL (Good)May 19, 2025: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jun 2, 2025: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jun 16, 2025: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jul 1, 2025: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jul 14, 2025: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jul 28, 2025: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Aug 11, 2025: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Aug 25, 2025: 10 per 100 mL (Good)May 4, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)May 11, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)May 18, 2026: 600 per 100 mL (Poor)May 20, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)May 26, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jun 1, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jun 8, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jun 15, 2026: 73 per 100 mL (Poor)Jun 17, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jun 22, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jul 7, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Jul 20, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Aug 3, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Aug 17, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Aug 31, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Sep 14, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Sep 28, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Oct 19, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Oct 26, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)Nov 2, 2026: 10 per 100 mL (Good)2023202420252026
Enterococci per 100 mL, log scale. Lines mark the Moderate (36) and Poor (71) levels.

Recent tests

DateEnterococci per 100 mLRating
Nov 2, 202610Good
Oct 26, 202610Good
Oct 19, 202610Good
Sep 28, 202610Good
Sep 14, 202610Good
Aug 31, 202610Good
Aug 17, 202610Good
Aug 3, 202610Good
Jul 20, 202610Good
Jul 7, 202610Good
Jun 22, 202610Good
Jun 17, 202610Good
Jun 15, 202673Poor
Jun 8, 202610Good
Jun 1, 202610Good
May 26, 202610Good

The long view

The state has 103 tests on record for Opal Beach over 11 years, starting June 2016. In the last 10 years, 5 tests of 96 (5%) came back Poor, close to the rate for all Florida sampled beaches (6.1%). Bacteria levels usually jump after heavy rain, when stormwater washes to the shore, and drop again within a day or two.

Nearby sampled beaches

About this site

Sampling site OPAL BEACH (Escambia County, EPA beach ID FL112522), at 30.36273, -86.96740. Results are from the Florida Department of Health's Healthy Beaches Program; years before 2026 come from the state's submissions to EPA's Water Quality Portal.