Water quality in Santa Marta bay was monitored using fecal and total coliforms. The pollution degree was determined by water quality data analyzing at nine sampling stations. Four of them on the beaches (Santa Marta, Taganga, Playa Grande and Rodadero), two at the mouths of Manzanares and Gaira rivers and the last in the submarine outfall discharges in different depths (Bottom, medium depth and surface). Samples were collected between January 2006 and December 2008, every two months. An association between the submarine outfall discharges (the fl ow was estimated at 1028.64 ± 163.9 L/s) and the water quality in Taganga and Santa Marta was found. The pollution degree at the sampling stations was examined, the Santa Marta beach, the mouths of the rivers and the submarine outfall surface station showed pollution at medium level.