Latest news with #BlueWaterTaskForce
Time Out
3 days ago
- Health
- Time Out
This U.S. beach is the top "bacteria hot spot" in the country
Summer is almost here, and throngs of sun-seekers will soon be heading to sandy beaches for some R&R. But before you pack your towel and sunscreen, take note: some of the country's most stunning beaches are hiding a dirty secret—literally. According to the Surfrider Foundation's 2024 Clean Water Report, beachgoers may be swimming in water contaminated with unsafe levels of bacteria. The report ranks the most bacteria-laden beaches, and the biggest offender is Kahalu'u Beach in Oahu, Hawaii, where a jaw-dropping 92-percent of water samples failed to meet health standards. Right behind it is Waikomo Stream at Koloa Landing in Poipu, Hawaii, with a 90-percent failure rate. And it's not just Hawaii. The report lists top bacteria hot spots all across the U.S.—from the East and West Coasts to Puerto Rico. These aren't remote, forgotten beaches. They're community hubs, tourist magnets and vital ecosystems. The foundation points to a nasty brew of stormwater runoff, sewage overflows, agricultural waste and failing infrastructure as the primary culprits for bacterial buildup. Nearly 10 trillion gallons of untreated stormwater runoff hit U.S. waterways each year. Add in 900 billion gallons of untreated sewage from aging systems, and it's a health hazard in the making. These beaches may look pristine, but the detected bacteria can cause rashes, stomach bugs, skin infections or worse. Raw sewage also feeds harmful algal blooms, kills fish and devastates coral reefs. Climate change only fuels the mess with rising seas and more intense storms overwhelming fragile systems. In 2024, Surfrider's Blue Water Task Force processed over 10,000 samples from 604 sites, with a shocking 80% showing high bacteria levels. Volunteers test water and trace pollutants, but they can't fix the root problems alone. That's why Surfrider is calling on Congress to stop slashing EPA funding and instead invest in clean water and resilient infrastructure. Clean, swimmable beaches shouldn't be a luxury—they should be a given. U.S. beaches with the highest levels of bacteria Waikomo Stream at Koloa Landing, Kauai, HI Kahalu'u, Kahalu'u, O'ahu, HI Imperial Beach - San Diego, CA San Luis Creek Mouth- Avila Beach, CA Linda Mar Beach - Pacifica, CA South Sound Thea Foss Floating Dock - Tacoma, WA Playa Crashboat - Aguadilla, PR Park View Kayak Launch - Miami Beach, FL Ballard Park - Melbourne, FL Windmill Beach - Sag Harbor, NY
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
One of the most polluted waterways in the US is in WA. Here's where
Washington is home to one of the most bacteria-ridden beaches in the country, according to the Surfrider Foundation. The nonprofit organization recently released its 2024 Clean Water Report to 'build awareness of issues that affect water quality and your health at the beach.' The report, published on May 20, pinpoints 10 beaches across the United States and Puerto Rico where high bacteria levels consistently exceed state health standards and could put public health at risk. The Surfrider Foundation tested more than 600 sites across the nation, with 80% of samples yielding 'at least one high bacteria result that exceeded state health standards,' according to the report. One urban waterway in Tacoma landed on Surfrider's list of 2024 Beach Bacteria Hot Spots: Thea Foss. It had a 64% rate of unhealthy levels of bacteria detected. The location also made the hot-spot list last year. Across the state, testing took place 41 times in the Northwest Straits, 94 times in the South Sound and 46 times in Olympia. 'The ultimate goal is to use (Surfrider Foundation's) Blue Water Task Force data to find and fix the sources of pollution and prioritize local efforts to restore clean water locally,' the nonprofit notes in a statement about the report. According to the Clean Water Report, Surfrider Foundation chapters measured high bacteria levels in 2024 at multiple sampling sites across the United States. At these bacteria hot spots, the foundation consistently measured levels of high bacteria that exceeded state health standards for recreational waters, the report said. 'That means more than one in every three samples collected fail to meet safe swimming standards at this popular spot for children to play, paddle and splash around in the water,' the Surfrider Foundation report notes. Surfrider Foundation's Blue Water Task Force provides interactive data of testing sites in Washington. Testing locations, with updates through May 2025, include: Olympia - Squaxin Park Steilacoom - Sunnyside Beach University Place - Titlow Beach Tacoma - Thea Foss Floating Dock Tacoma - Jack Hyde Park Tacoma - Lee Davis Dive Steps Point Defiance - Owen Beach Gig Harbor - Jerisich Dock Dash Point - Dash Point State Park Farther north, the Northwest Straits Blue Water Task Force tests waterways in the Bellingham and Whatcom County region. In the last year, three locations there have tested positive for 'high' rates of bacteria that exceed Washington state health safety standards. Those locations include: Fairhaven - Padden Creek Mouth 1 Bellingham - Locust Beach 2 Bellingham - Locust Beach 3 No locations in eastern Washington were tested. If you don't see your beach on the list, you can check Washington's beach status tool through the Department of Ecology for information on specific beaches that are monitored by the state. According to the Surfrider Foundation, these were the 10 most polluted beaches in the United States and Puerto Rico, based on the percentage of samples that tested high for bacteria in 2024: Windmill Beach in Sag Harbor, New York: 43% of samples Ballard Park in Melbourne, Florida: 52% Park View Kayak Launch in Miami Beach, Florida: 90% Playa Crashboat in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico: 23% South Sound Thea Foss Floating Dock in Tacoma, Washington: 64% Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica: 71% San Luis Creek Mouth in Avila Beach: 38% Imperial Beach in San Diego: 82% Kahalu'u in Oahu, Hawai'i: 92% Waikomo Stream at Koloa Landing in Kauai, Hawai'i: 90% A total of 60 Blue Water Task Force labs processed 10,120 water samples collected from 604 distinct sampling sites in 2024, the Surfrider Foundation said. Of those sampling sites, 483 yielded at least one high bacteria result that exceeded state health standards. 'This shows the importance of regular water quality monitoring at the beach to protect public health and safe recreation,' the Surfrider Foundation report notes.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Why Are Hawai‘i's Waters So Laden with Bacteria?
Alongside Surfrider's 2024 Clean Water Report, which produces water sample analyses of hundreds of beaches with the help of volunteers at Surfrider chapters across the greater U.S., the nonprofit organization also put together a Water Quality Report for Hawai'i. According to the data, seven test sites across O'ahu and Kaua'i showed harmful bacteria levels that exceeded state health standards more than half of the times they were tested by Surfrider's volunteer-based water-testing program, Blue Water Task Force (BWTF). Several of those failed to reach safe levels for human contact more than 80% of the time: 'On Kauaʻi, three BWTF sites located at stream or river mouths (Hanalei River at Weke Rd., Hanamāʻulu Stream Mouth, and Nāwiliwili Stream) failed every single water test performed in 2024,' a Surfrider Hawai'i press release announcing the report reads. 'Similarly, on Oʻahu, the highest bacteria sites are located adjacent to stream mouths. The Chings (Punaluʻu Beach Park) sampling site, near Punaluʻu Stream on East Oʻahu, failed every water quality sample, and Kahaluʻu Beach failed 92% of samples. In our second year of sampling in Waiʻanae with Kingdom Pathways, one of the sites, Kaupuni Stream, is yet again exceeding state health standards consistently, with 80% of samples having failed.' So where's all that dirty water coming from? 'It is definitely a common misconception—tropical turquoise beaches in a remote island chain = safe water,' Hanna Lilley, Surfrider's Hawai'i Regional Manager who oversaw the report told me, pointing out that it is one of the larger hurdles of public awareness around water-quality issues. It might be hard to fathom that a string of volcanic rocks out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean can't seem to flush and dissipate all its pollution into the surrounding blue expanse, but currents around the island only help so much—and in some cases exacerbate issues—while a continuous flow of sewage and runoff from a population of nearly 1.5 million can perpetually foul the its 2024 report, Surfrider cites that sewage pollution from Hawai'i's 83,000 cesspools is among the biggest culprit, as they collectively discharge a daily 52 million gallons into coastal waters. The meta message? While stream mouths can make for shallow, relatively safe nearshore waters free of shorebreak and currents, the water quality near them is almost never safe and can even prove deadly. Granted, this is hardly news—see: Hawaii News Now's 'Hawaii Leads Nation in Deadly Staph Infections.' Apart from proactively working to inform the public on better environmental practices—like its Ocean Friendly Gardens (OFG) initiative—helping the public become more aware of unsafe conditions at the beach is also a prerogative. One recent feat saw Surfrider's Maui Chapter help convince the Maui County Ocean Safety Bureau to provide Brown Water Advisory (BWA) signs to lifeguards so that they could place physical warnings of dangerous water quality on beaches where, previously, such warnings were only posted online or on television and radio public service announcements. to warn beachgoers of polluted conditions on the beach after it rains. The Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) also 'recently agreed to revise their beach monitoring program to continue to test popular Tier 1 beaches when Brown Water Advisories are in effect, thereby providing better water quality information to the public during both dry and wet weather,' Surfrider wrote, considering this a feat, particularly in the face of federal funding cuts slated for Fiscal Year 2026 that could completely cut funding for the EPA's Beach Act Grants program, which supports water quality monitoring and public notifications across 35 states in total and might leave us all 'completely blind to pollution issues at our local beaches'—yikes, indeed. Surfrider is calling on Congress to reject the Trump administration's proposal to slash funding for the EPA and support robust funding for the BEACH Act and other clean water programs. Everyone deserves to enjoy a fun day at the beach without worrying about getting sick from exposure to pollution. Why Are Hawai'i's Waters So Laden with Bacteria? first appeared on Surfer on Jun 1, 2025
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Bacteria hot spots: Beaches in San Diego, Pacifica. San Luis Obispo make the dirty list
As people begin to pack their swimsuits and head to the coast for Memorial Day weekend, a report has named three California beaches as some of the country's dirtiest. The Surfrider Foundation's annual Clean Water Report includes their top "ten beach bacteria hot spots," recreational beaches where "testing consistently reveals dangerous levels of fecal bacteria that threaten the health of swimmers, surfers, and families." The group's Blue Water Task Force (BWTF), the largest volunteer-run beach water testing program in the U.S processed over 10,000 water samples last year to measure bacteria levels at more than 600 locations across the country. In California alone, more than 2000 samples were taken. Eighty percent of the beaches Surfrider analyzed for the report — 483 out of 604 — exceeded state health standards at least once in 2024, and 25% of all samples measured high bacteria levels, up from 22% in 2023. "Across the country, Surfrider's BWTF programs are measuring high bacteria levels at a concerning number ofbeaches and recreational waterways where stormwater runoff and failing sewage infrastructure are polluting the water," stated the report. Stormwater runoff has long been the number one cause of beach closures and swimming advisories in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that more than 5 million people get sick from swimming in contaminated water each year. "Everyone deserves access to clean water to surf, swim, and play in. That's why Surfrider advocates for strong laws and sufficient funding to monitor and protect water quality." Mara Dias, Surfrider's Water Quality Initiative Senior Manager stated in a media release. "When we see information gaps in government testing programs that leave public health unprotected, we seek to meet those community needs with our Blue Water Task Force water quality monitoring program." California has some of the busiest beaches in the country, logging more than 150 million day visits by tourists and locals. The visitor traffic generates over $10 billion each year for the state, so a clean beach is vital not just for people and the fragile coastal ecosystem, but for California's bottom line. A popular beach for surfing, playing volleyball, horseback riding, and walking out along its fabled pier, Imperial Beach in San Diego also has a load of bacteria. The report showed that 82% of samples collected at Imperial Beach "resulted in bacteria counts exceeding the state health standard for recreational waters." The crescent-shaped Linda Mar Beach, located at the mouth of San Pedro Valley in Pacifica offers many recreation opportunities. There are private surf camps, biking and walking trails, and places to rent kayaks and surfboards. Whale watching is popular in the spring. Seventy-one percent of water samples collected at Linda Mar Beach exceeded safe bacterial levels. A beach in San Luis Obispo County popular with families made the dirty list. San Luis Creek Mouth at Avila Beach had 38% of its samples come back with high levels of bacteria. 'The reason why this is concerning is because there at the creek mouth is often where families will set up with small kids,' Dias told We have all been to the beach and seen people wade into the water even when there is a sign advising people not to enter. Do not be that person. To best protect your own and your family's health, Surfrider Foundation urges beachgoers to check local water quality conditions before heading to the beach. And if you see a sign—posted advisories are usually placed at the beach and often along access points to the beach saying that swimming may cause illness, according to the California State Water Resources Control Board. Don't go in and sunbathe instead. This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: New study: Three California beaches are 'bacteria hot spots'
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Travel + Leisure
22-05-2025
- Health
- Travel + Leisure
This Stunning Beach Is the No. 1 'Bacteria Hot Spot' in the U.S.—What Travelers Should Know
Beach season is coming, but some of the most beautiful beaches in the U.S. might be hiding an invisible menace—and might be dangerous for your health. Surfrider Foundation recently released its 2024 Clean Water Report, which ranks the beaches in America that are bacteria hot spots to help raise awareness of water quality issues that affect public health. The No. 1 "bacteria hot spot" in the report is the beach of Kahalu'u in Oahu, Hawaii, with a 92 percent high bacteria rate. That rate means that 92 percent of the samples taken at Kahalu'u beach failed to meet the state health standard for recreational waters, the report states. A close second is Waikomo Stream at Koloa Landing in Poipu, Hawaii, with a high bacteria rate of 90 percent. The top 10 beach bacteria hot spots include beaches on the East Coast, West Coast, and Puerto Rico, as well as Hawaii. All the beaches are important to local communities and can have negative effects on public health. Stormwater and agriculture, industrial, and sewage runoff all contribute to water contamination. This creates "a cocktail of pollutants including road dust, oil, animal waste, fertilizers, and other chemicals," the report states, as well as raw, untreated sewage in some instances. In 2024, the Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) had 60 labs processing more than 10,000 water samples from 604 sites to analyze the water quality. Additionally, the Surfrider Foundation used volunteers to test beaches that are not covered and monitor potential sources of pollution. A shocking 80 percent of the beaches and sites tested gave high bacteria results, exceeding state health standards. 'Here at Surfrider, we believe everyone should have access to clean water to surf, swim, and play in. Improving coastal water quality has been one of our top priorities since the Surfrider Foundation was founded in 1984,' the Surfrider Foundation website states. 'Unfortunately, the President's budget proposal for next year (FY2026) eliminates all funding for the EPA's BEACH Act Grants program that funds beach water quality monitoring and public notification programs in 35 coastal states and territories—which could leave families completely blind to pollution issues at America's beaches.' Surfrider has launched a petition to Congress to reject the proposal to cut EPA funding and support clean water programs that benefit public health. The Surfrider Foundation has volunteers at the 10 top spots to build awareness of the problems with pollution that contribute to the high bacteria content. Ideally, releasing the data will help raise awareness of the problem and fix the sources of pollution and bacteria. Hawaii has a wealth of iconic beaches, so it's important to clean up the ones that ranked poorly for bacteria content and protect the natural beauty of the islands.
