The department, in cooperation with local health departments, shall promulgate rules which shall contain minimum sanitation standards for determining water quality at bathing beaches open to the public. The rules shall be used by a local health department to establish the safety of the water for swimming. Water quality standards adopted under this section shall be in conformity with the official state water quality standards adopted by the department of environmental quality under the authority of part 31 (water resources protection) of the natural resources and environmental protection act, Act No. 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being section 324.3101 to 324.3119 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.