Information Gathering ...

Consider this: A single gram of dog feces contains 23 million fecal coliform bacteria. One gram. Then consider the millions of gallons of raw sewage that are vented into the ocean when older public water systems are overwhelmed by heavy rainfall. In some countries, sewage is vented directly into the sea without any effort to filter it at all.
Bacterial contamination in our oceans has far greater consequences than a few closed beaches. Fecal coliform and other bacteria in high concentrations can kill off marine mammals like whales, otters, and dolphins from organ failure and the sheer toxicity of the water.

Unless a beach is closed due to high levels of bacteria, very few of us give much thought to the pollutants that plague our oceans. But as human populations rise worldwide and the populations of marine species collapse from over fishing and compromised food chains, it is clear that we are not going to be able to ignore these problems for much longer.

http://www.waterfiltering.com/water-sources/ocean-water-contaminants.html

What exactly are total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and enterococcus?
Total coliforms consist of a large group of bacteria that may inhabit the intestial tracts of both humans and animals. They may also be found in water as well as occurring naturally on leaves and in the soil.
Fecal coliforms are a subgroup of total coliform bacteria. Their presence is highly correlated with fecal contamination from warm-blooded animals.
Enterococcus, sometimes referred to as fecal streptococcus, is also an intestinal bacterium used to indicate fecal contamination from mammals and birds.

California state regulations mandate that total coliform, fecal coliform, and enterococcus are to be used as indicator bacteria for monitoring marine recreational water quality:

When is a beach placed on WARNING status?
If a water sample fails to meet one or more of the health standards, a WARNING status for the beach will be issued. Yellow WARNING signs stating "Warning! Ocean Water Contact May Cause Illness! Bacteria Levels Exceed Health Standards." will be posted at the beach. Health standards are exceeded when:
Total coliform exceeds: 10,000 MPN (Most Probable Number)
Fecal coliform exceeds: 400 MPN
Enterococcus exceeds: 104 MPN
Fecal coliform:total coliform ratio exceeds 0.1, and the total coliform count exceeds 1,000 MPN
*Most Probable Number = Bacterial count per 100 ml of waterWhen a beach is listed under WARNING status, swimmers should stay a minimum of 50 yards away from creek mouths and storm drains.
http://www.sbcphd.org/ehs/OceanFAQ.htm

- Brandi