The control of bathing waters, which is regulated by DPR 470/82, is based on collecting water samples from pre-established monitoring sites. These samples then undergo chemical, physical and microbiological analyses to determine the set parameters.
At present, the monitoring sites are chosen by the provinces, according to criteria laid out by DPR 470/82 and modified by Ministry of Health Decree 29/01/92. They are situated close to outlets (rivers, torrents, drains, canals, sewage pipes) and are never more than two kilometres apart.

Since the 1992 bathing season, the region of Emilia Romagna, has applied the criteria established by the above-mentioned Ministerial Decree and has singled out 96 monitoring sites covering about 120 kilometres of regional coastline (before 1992 only 77 points had been chosen). One of these sites was eliminated in 1994 and a further three were eliminated in 1997.
The particularly high concentration of monitoring sites in the southern part of the region is due to the presence of numerous small river outlets, storm drainage pipes and canal ports in the Rimini area.

To highlight the high density of monitoring of the bathing waters in the area, we should point out that, despite the fact that the DPR 470/92 directions state that monitoring sites should not be more than 2 km apart, on average in Emilia Romagna there is a site every 1.3 km.
The coast of Emilia Romagna stretches from the municipality of Goro in the province of Ferrara, to the municipality of Cattolica, which is in the province of Rimini. It covers the provincial territories of Ferrara, Ravenna, Forlì-Cesena and Rimini, where the respective Provincial Sections of ARPA (Regional Agency for the Protection of the Environment) and the AUSL (Local Health Authorities) services of Ferrara, Ravenna, Cesena and Rimini operate.

The coast is sandy along its entire length, it has a gradually sloping seabed and very shallow waters. In the sea just in front of the coastline of all the main resorts there are breakwater barriers to protect the beach. These artificial barriers aim to hinder the erosion of the coast however, they also obstacle the natural flow of the currents, which would guarantee a better remixing of the water.