ABSTRACT 

A Community Gastrointestinal Illness Outbreak at Deep Lake:

Can Current Thurston County Recreational Water Quality

Standards Prevent Future Outbreaks?

L. Darrell Cochran

This essay examines the adequacy of current Thurston County recreational water quality standards to prevent large waterborne illness outbreaks, such as the one that occurred at Deep Lake in August 1993. An examination of similar outbreaks and water quality standards throughout the United States and other countries reveals that water quality standards alone may not be adequate to protect the public at community bathing beaches.