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Mark Ralston / AFP/Getty Images
A beach closed sign warns against contaminated water due to recent rain runoff in 2010 at a beach in California.
Before you wade into the water this summer, you may want to consult the beach water report released Wednesday by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
The report found that the number of closing and health advisory days at America’s ocean, bay and Great Lakes beaches spiked to the second-highest level measured by the NRDC in the past two decades.
Interactive map: See how 200 popular beaches fared
Using data gathered at more than 3,200 beaches nationwide, the nonprofit environmental group found that 70 percent of the 2010 beach closings and health advisories were issued after testing showed bacteria levels in the water exceeded health standards. Pollution sources include storm water runoff and sewage overflows. Overall, 8 percent of water samples exceeded national standards, a slight increase compared with 7 percent for the past four years.
“The beaches in many places are open and many beaches are very clean,” said Jon Devine, senior attorney in the NRDC water program. “But there are pollution problems that lead to beach contaminations, closures and advisories that have not been adequately been dealt with at the national scale. There are a number of opportunities at the national level to clean up those sources.”
“Testing the Waters: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches” found that heavy rainfall in Hawaii, which can pollute beaches with storm-water runoff, as well as unspecified contamination of California beaches and the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, significantly contributed to the higher number closings and health advisories, which increased by 29 percent since last measured in 2009.
The most frequently contaminated beach water samples were those taken from the Great Lakes; 15 percent of samples from this region exceeded public health standards. Beach water from the Southeast, New York-New Jersey coast and the Delmarva region (Delaware, Maryland and Virginia) was the cleanest at 4 percent, 5 percent and 6 percent, respectively.
The NRDC report awarded “superstar beach” status to four beaches that ranked highest in the group’s 5-star rating guide. These beaches were singled out for having perfect testing results in each of the past three years:
- Delaware: Rehoboth Beach-Rehoboth Avenue Beach in Sussex County
- Delaware: Dewey Beach in Sussex County
- Minnesota: Park Point Lafayette Community Club Beach in St. Louis County
- New Hampshire: Hampton Beach State Park in Rockingham County
Ten beaches with persistently poor water quality are included in the NRDC’s “repeat offender” list. Water samples at these beaches exceeded public health standards more than 25 percent of the time each year between 2006 and 2010:
- California: Avalon Beach in Los Angeles County (3 of 5 monitored sections)
Avalon Beach – Near Busy B Café
Avalon Beach – North of GP Pier
Avalon Beach – South of GP Pier - California: Cabrillo Beach Station in Los Angeles County
- California: Doheny State Beach in Orange County (2 of 6 monitored sections)
Doheny State Beach – North of San Juan Creek
Doheny State Beach – Surf Zone at Outfall - Florida: Keaton Beach in Taylor County
- Illinois: North Point Marina North Beach in Lake County
- New Jersey: Beachwood Beach West in Ocean County
- Ohio: Villa Angela State Park in Cuyahoga County
- Texas: Ropes Park in Nueces County
- Wisconsin: Eichelman beach in Kenosha County
- Wisconsin: South Shore Beach in Milwaukee
Sara Hisel-McCoy, director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Standards and Health Protection Division in the Office of Water, told msnbc.com that increased monitoring, better testing standards and more thorough reporting have led to an increase in the number of annual beach closings and advisories.
In the agency’s latest annual beach water quality report, the EPA found that despite closures, beaches were open for swimming over 95 percent of the beach season. To improve detection efforts, the EPA awards almost $10 million annually to coastal and Great Lakes states for monitoring beach water and notifying the public of advisories and closures.
Both the EPA and the NRDC stress that beach water pollution can cause waterborne illnesses that include vomiting, diarrhea, eye infections, itchy skin and other serious health problems, and urge beachgoers to check the water quality before they go to the beach.
Swimmers can check the water quality report at their beach on the EPA website. Not all beaches are monitored, and the EPA suggests beachgoers avoid unmonitored spots where the water quality is unknown. The NRDC also has a guide to finding clean beaches on its website.
“Those traveling to beaches from greater distances with beach visitation as their primary purpose may or may not do their research, but those who do will welcome the NRDC and EPA websites," said Michael Blazey, professor of recreation and leisure studies at California State University, Long Beach.
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Find more by Harriet Baskas on Stuck at The Airport.com and follow her on Twitter.
Leave a Comment:
Ocean City, MD clean? HAHAHAHAHAHA
Ocean City is a very nice beach!
Texas: Ropes Park in Nueces County - the article singles them out in Texas as being a bad beach.
Hmmm according to the interactive map, they got 4 out of 5 stars.
Rehoboth Beach has clean water? Riiiiiight. And Camden, NJ is the safest city in America.
I'm sorry - we are Rehoboth Beach faithfuls and go there several times a year, but I am HIGHLY doubtful that water there is that clean!!! Last time we went down, someone found a needle in the water. In the ocean surf are nasty brown bubbles, and occasionally you catch a funky wiff of some strange odor. There is always some sort of trash floating in the water, like the piece of paper sticking to my face after a wave crashed overhead. Oh, and last year we had to get out of the water because of all the jellyfish swarming nearby. A few days last year, THEY PUT OUT RED FLAGS because of the water polution levels exceeded safety levels!!! (The problem is that after a sample is taken, it takes two days for results to come back and for them to close the beach. In the meantime, people are swimming in filth.)
If a report of any sort says the water in Rehoboth Beach is amongst the cleanest in the US, its because whoever is testing it is getting paid off by Rehoboth Beach.
Michelle Bachmann.....oh wait....you said beaches....sorry.
Always an idiot that has to turn every story into some Political statement.
Dan....yeah, but it WAS kinda funny....
Love it.
If only repugs didnt make it so easy.
Typical Democrat. Can't debate on logic or intelligence, so they have to resort to name calling.
Typical retort to typical Democrat from typical Republican?
What about Imperial Beach outside San Diego? All the sewage that washes up from Tijuana is disgusting.
Just gotta wait for about a week after it rains then its all good. The current goes south so it is not an issue unless it rains.
because that would imply that Mexico is responsible for some sort of wrongdoing.
Which is impossible because Hispanics are a minority in this country and therefore their country of origin cannot be accused of wrongdoing because it would be racist.
I'm with you on Imperial beach. I lived in Redondo Beach and would hardly ever go in the water.
And because John R.S brushing his teeth in the tap water makes the sewage problem any better right?
White people are just as dirty as black people and hispanics or latinos but let us not speak anything of actual value to the world because all hispanics do come from Mexico, and all white people come from where? Germany.
Good job perpetuating ignorance!
Think before you speak or type. Peace and Knowledge!
wait until the Tea baggers get done with their cuts and see how much the EPA can test. At least the wealthy can use their tax bonuses to buy their own beaches and pools.
The tea party wants to do way with the EPA, they don't believe that it's the Governments job to police the enviorment. It's every man for himself.
Because the government does such a bang-up job as it is.
Your a really depressing guy John. Got anything uplifting to say ever?
And some other wealthy like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are donating their wealth to causes that benefit society.
LA beaches? disgusting...any real Californian knows Del Mar/Encinitas have the best beaches.
Point Doom is a good to perfect beach in SOCal.
I don't think Del Mar/Encinitas nor Lajolla has the best beaches. REAL Californian would know Coronado is by far the best beach in San Diego. Del Mar/Encinitas/Lajolla sands are nasty, smells like dead fish and all the seaweeds with flies on them. Yuk! Moonlight beach in Encinitas(considered the best beach by many locals in Diego) constantly has contaminated water sign. R u really from Ca.?
I cant imagine Coronado being clean with all that harbor traffic all around it, barges and shipping lanes. Besides, since the beach tends to face more south, there are hardly any waves. Thats no fun. But this article isnt really about that. I am a fan of Mission Beach or Oceanside.
Mission Beach and Oceanside? Really? Wow. Have you been to Mission Beach lately? I don't think it's clean at all.
Delaware beaches are a slice of paradise! I'm so happy to live near these pristine beaches.
Califonia should just break off and either sink or detach from the rest of the country. California is an armpitl
Where R U from?
It shows your ignorance by your comment . California has it's problems ,but it has amazing beauty Redwoods ,mountains, miles and miles of coastline .
This "zonie" loves California. Of course not its politics, but its beaches are so relaxing (except on weekends, where you can't park within miles).
ha ha ha just kidding. California, you know I love you
Wht the heck are you talking about Tijuana is disgusting??? Why dont you come down to LA and take a look at the beaches here and then you can talk about disgusting. LA has the most disgusting beaches in the country!
yea, and the sewage runoff it gets from Mexico sure doesn't help the situation.
after all these years of dumping there trash into the oceans letting there run off run into the streams that flow to the oceans sound like the have there hand out wanting the (EPA) federal government to give them more money there already getting a bail out from the federal government an they want more California an New Your, who next (crime inc) Chicago an lets not forget Atlanta rest of the country don't count it a crying shame let not forget to vote these liberals an rhino's out of office wake up an stand up for America Good day
Uh oh! A tea party libertarian calling Republicans rhinos. All the trash and sewerage was probably contracted out to a private company that screwed up.
arhillbilly: It's "their" not there.
Dan t
Erics statement didn't sound political compared to the other statements
It's unfortunate that we have poor water quality across the nation's beaches. Clean water is a team effort, and together we all can make a difference! Check out www.lastormwater.info for tips on how to prevent stormwater pollution and protect our ocean!
The best way for California, especially So. California, to clean up their beaches is to figure out how to make the homeless use trashcans for their crap rather than just throwing it around. Whenever it rains, the crap flows down the sewers into the L.A. River and down to the ocean. It's a total mess. Having traveled on the Blue Line from Long Beach to Los Angeles, you can look out the window and see all the homeless shantys along the railway lines....they are an absolute disgrace. There are trash cans around, but whenever they move out....they leave a pile of trash sitting there and none of the cities will come in and clean up after them (and they shouldn't have to). As I said, it's a disgrace!!!
I'm from Michigan and didn't think there was a disgusting beach until i saw Santa Monica beach.
I wonder why they never tested any beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. I mean after all O BLA BLA said that the water in the Gulf is clean. Or is it that BP just made all the oil sink to the bottom using Corexit 9500. A chemical that will forever change the marine life and the ecosystem in the Gulf. Let's not just put the blame on BP or the oil companies, after all are own EPA approved the use of Corexit 9500. The same EPA that is put in place by are so called government to protect its citizens from environmental threats, INCLUDING Corporations. Oh BTW, for those who are not smart enough to know, The head of the EPA is appointed by the President!!!
SO Lets Some It UP, BP oil has HUUUGGGEEEE spill, EPA OK's the use of Corexit 9500 to sink the oil to the bottom of the gulf, causing change the marine life and the ecosystem, The head of the EPA is appointed by the President O BLA BLA. Meanwhile O BLA BLA acts like he gives a SH%# about the situation, while obviously being a puppet for the Corrupt Corporate Curtails. Just another NWO Pres like BUSH. There is no difference once you open your eyes from slumber!!!
Punjig: Obviously, you're having a spelling problem....it's President Obama. You may not like him, but he IS the president of the United States until someone else gets the job. It's ridiculous that people cannot deal with that! In the military, I may not have liked my commanders, but I was taught to always respect their positions! Let's try to be humans and do the same!! Calling our president names is childish and shows your intelligence level.!!
didi-376564: Can you please say that louder to people like punjig!!! Thanks!!!
Didi-
Once you open your eyes and do your research, you will find that our Government along
with the position of the President have been Hijacked by offshore curtail banks. Do yourself a favor and look up "Bildiberg", research it and you will see they run EVERYTHING!!!
When our Government is TRULY Our Government again, and start going by the OATH that they have taken, to defend the Constitution of the U.S., Then I will again respect the offices that we elect them to. Being in the Military you too took the same oath so I would hope you could respect that oath. Remember, The Government IS our SERVENTS. We do not SERVE THEM, THEY are not ROYALTY!!!!! So until thing change O BLA BLA it is, Along with DipS#$T Bush!!! What has been going on for the past 100 or so years is EXACTLY what the founders of this country warn against. Fed Reserve Act of 1913!!
BTW, don’t comment until
you at least somewhat open your eyes and can honestly tell me you took the time
to at least look into "BILDIBERG".
Wake up Sheeple!!!
"OATH KEEPERS" Forever!!! Look it up!
Whats a curtail bank??
http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/09/03/the-oath-keepers-right-wing-domestic-terrorists-waiting-to-happen/
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7GCNV_en&q=sheriff+richard+mack+oath+keepers+interview&revid=693124816&sa=X&ei=12QOTryAM8XXgQfTvODTDQ&ved=0CGcQ1QIoAQ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_Keepers
Kind of scary in an arbitrary sort of way. Standards set by whom?
East coast of Florida is where it is at. Warm water 10 out of 12 months per year(unlike Delaware/New Jersey/anywhere in the crappy NE. Plus, the waves are ride-able probably a total of 4 months/per year on avg. You want blue/green water then Vero Beach south is unbelievable!! That is why I have lived in Florida for 30 years. Siesta is nice but never any waves for surfers!!
Well I've lived on the east coast all my life (almost 60 years) . The beaches used to be outstanding. But that was before our greedy, sold the coast to the highest bidder. Want to walk for miles, down the beach? Good luck, you'll have some rich person or condo's security telling you are on private property. Of course, they know the mean high tide rule, and know it's not their beach below it. But they will still get a rent a cop , and sometimes a local cop, to enforce property rights that do not exist. In FL , only A LOT of money matters, not right or wrong.
Then there's the oil. Yes , those 50 cent to tennis ball size blobs are from ships cleaning their bilge.
And finally, getting a little warm? Then by all means jump in the ocean. And get attacked by sea lice.
Yup, it is paradise ruined.
wahhhhhhh!!!!!
congrdulations mayor vairgragoso of los angeles you got the bronze medal for the dirtest city in the country way to go mayor viagra you and the city council turned once the place to go to a 3rd world country los amgeles now looks like tj lmao really pathtic
You couldn't pay me to get in the water at any beach in the United States...Hawaii included.
The beaches in Va. are the cleanest most well kept I had ever been at, no trash and the people who care for them don't take any crap from any visitors who attempt to trash it. Also the beaches in Southern New Jersey around Avalon and Stone Harbor are also very clean and watched over.
Check it out Ohioans, you guys have a beach. Who knew? Anyway, now that this is common knowledge, please go home and never return to Myrtle Beach again. We've had enough already.
Finally! Delaware gets the highest rating on something!
Glad to see my great (often wrongly bashed by the ignorant majority) state of New Jersey had only one offense on this list. And for the record, TV folk, the majority of New Jersey's beaches, particularly in southern NJ, are NOT packed with the likes of those "Jersey Shore" greaseballs on TV.
Btw, way to go, California!
Whoop Whoop... EAST COAST!! ;-) I've always wanted to visit the west coast, but after hearing this, I'm not going to take my Jersey, DE, MD beaches for granted!
You should see some of the river reports! I live in upstate New York and let me tell ya' the Hudson River has 10 times the acceptible levels of human waste than is acceptable. I didn't think ANY human waste in our waters was acceptable! LOL! When I pull my kayak out of that filth I have to wash it off before I store it or it will stink up the basement! Yet they are dredging the river for PCB's. HA! That's it!!! Stir up the dookey so we can all enjoy the stank!
Beaches in Milwaukee are a joke. Lake Michigan is a cold lake as it is and we rarely get to use it. When is does warm up enough to swim, we can't cause of all the health risks. City's worst project, The Deep Tunnel project, constantly pours sewage into Lake Michigan after a fair amount of rainfall and everyone in office is OK with it. Thus...the public have to live with a beach they cannot even use because of E-Coli, dirty needles, human waste, etc. People who have clean beaches, be thankful. You could spend your summers in Milwaukee.