outh Carolina, particularly the Grand Strand, did not monitor the water quality and advise beachgoers accordingly. South Carolina's dilemma was not in waste pollution; the state had no untreated discharge, no offshore dumping, or large factories contaminating the surf (Beach Monitoring 2). Even prior water quality tests, which were routinely done until 1980, showed no sign of violating any water quality standards. However, one major problem still remained. Runoff from storm water was polluting the ocean from several different discharge points along the coast. As a result of polluted storm water, studies proved that enterococcus bacteria, a disease-causing pathogen, mostly from animal waste, was present and increasing. In fact, the levels had already exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency's recommendations in some beaches (Testing The Waters 1). In 1997, South Carolina began testing beach water quality in the Grand Strand and Charleston areas. In 1999, there were 122 ocean water quality monitoring sites in South Carolina. By 2000, the number of sampling sites had increased to about three times what they were in 1999 (Testing the Waters 1).
             Nature is greatly affected by the storm water runoff on the beaches. There are many aspects of pollution that effect the coastal environment. Sediment is one of the contaminants. It is commonly washed out of construction sites, pavement, bare lawns or gardens, as well as eroding banks. It affects the habitat of the fish and plants, potentially damaging or destroying their territory (Coast-A-Syst 4). Nutrients, which ordinarily come from overused or spilled fertilizers, pet waste, grass clippings and leaves left on streets and sidewalks, and leaves burned in ditches, i
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