We’ve told you about the best beaches in the U.S., but not every shoreline is pristine and practically perfect. In fact, some of the beaches millions of Americans will visit this summer are so polluted, they’re considered “bacteria hotspots.” Luckily, a new clean water report from the Surfrider Foundation warns us which ones you may not want to be swimming in.
- The environmental nonprofit organization regularly tests beach waters and areas including stormwater outlets, rivers and creeks that flow into nearby coastal communities.
- The Surfrider Foundation’s Blue Water Task Force and Ocean Friendly Gardens programs do testing on areas that aren’t covered by government and environmental agencies.
- For this report, they processed 10,120 water samples from 604 testing sites to identify those “consistently measuring high bacteria levels that exceed state health standards for recreational water.”
- And the results may have you rethinking where to build your sandcastles. Testing shows that 80% of beaches and sampling sites - 483 locations - had “At least one high bacteria result that exceeded state health standards.”
- "These Beach Bacteria Hot Spots represent a variety of recreational waters and access points that are important to local communities, yet water quality conditions could be putting public health at risk," explains the Surfrider Foundation.
The Top 10 Beach Bacteria Hotspots in the U.S.
- Kahalu’u in O’ahu, Hawaii (92% bacteria level)
- Waikomo Stream at Koloa Landing in Poipu, Kaua'i, Hawaii (90%)
- Park View Kayak Launch in Miami Beach, Florida (90%)
- Imperial Beach in San Diego, California (82%)
- Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica, California (71%)
- South Sound Thea Floss Floating Dock in Tacoma, Washington (64%)
- Ballard Park in Melbourne, Florida (52%)
- Windmill Beach in Sag Harbor, New York (43%)
- San Luis Creek Mouth in Avila Beach, California (38%)
- Playa Crashboat in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico (23%)
Source: Best Life