Latest news with #Surfrider
Time Out
a day 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
a day 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.
France 24
2 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
EU eyes 'leadership' role on oceans ahead of UN summit
The 27-nation bloc wants to position itself as a leader in the field and will formally launch the "European Ocean Pact" at next week's conference in the French city of Nice. But a draft leaked last month was given short shrift by a coalition of environmental groups including Surfrider, WWF, ClientEarth and Oceana -- who saw it as largely rehashing old measures. "While the document outlines steps towards better enforcement of existing laws," they said in a joint statement, "concrete actions to address the most pressing threats to marine life and biodiversity are currently lacking." The draft pact acknowledges the need to boost funding to safeguard the oceans, but is light on hard commitments. Topping the list of measures environmentalists would like to see is an immediate ban on bottom trawling in protected areas -- the subject of a string of court cases -- as well as broader steps to align fishing practices with marine protection. On the European Commission front, officials have pushed back at the criticism -- indicating the leaked document was an interim draft and suggested stronger measures to come. 'Blue economy' to 'blue carbon' Forty percent of Europeans live within 50 kilometres (30 miles) of the coast -- though paradoxically the bloc is dependent on imports for 70 of the aquatic food it consumes, according to EU data cited in the draft. Nevertheless, the so-called "blue economy" linked to the sea supports more than five million jobs and contributes more than 250 billion euros ($285 billion) to the bloc's gross domestic product. As leaked, the draft pact: -- vows to update the bloc's 2008 directive on marine environmental policy and promises a new "Blue Carbon" action plan by 2026 to monitor and extend habitats capable of storing carbon dioxide. -- promises "dedicated attention" to small-scale fisheries and coastal communities that are economically and environmentally vulnerable when marine habitats are degraded. -- pledges to improve use of the European Satellite Oil Monitoring Service (CleanSeaNet), which serves to alert member states to the presence of pollutants. Between 2022 and 2023, the CleanSeaNet system identified more than 7,700 possible oil spills -- mostly in Spain, Greece and Italy -- but states acted on fewer than half of all alerts, according to the European Court of Auditors. When they did act, states confirmed pollution in only seven percent of cases -- often because too much time had elapsed by the time inspection teams arrived on site. 'Clear signal' After unveiling its roadmap in Brussels, the EU will formally present it at the June 9-13 UN Ocean Conference (UNOC), which is set to draw some 70 heads of state and government to southern France. The third of its kind, the UN summit seeks to build unity -- and raise 100 billion dollars in new funds -- for marine conservation, in spite of deep divergences over deep-sea mining, plastic trash and overfishing. One of its aims is to secure the 60 ratifications needed to enact a landmark treaty to protect marine habitats outside national jurisdiction -- with 28 countries on board so far, along with the EU. The oceans covering 70.8 percent of the globe have absorbed the vast majority of the warming caused by burning fossil fuels and shielded societies from the full impact of greenhouse gas emissions. But there are alarming symptoms of stress: heatwaves, loss of marine life, rising sea levels, falling oxygen levels and acidification caused by the uptake of excess carbon dioxide. The EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis said earlier this month the bloc wanted to send "a clear signal of Europe's leadership, commitment and vision" to its partners in Nice. "The ocean is warming. It is rising. It is acidifying. Pollution from plastics, chemicals, and noise is altering marine ecosystems," Kadis warned.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Eight Ocean Friendly Restaurants in the Lowcountry
CHARLESTON, S.C. – (WCBD) – Eight restaurants in Charleston have been recognized as Ocean Friendly Restaurants by the Surfrider Foundation for following sustainable practices aimed at protecting the ocean and reducing plastic waste. 'The goal of the Ocean Friendly Restaurants Program is to build a community of eco-conscious restaurants and patrons that support a healthy lifestyle for all people and for the planet,' said CJ O'Brien Weddle, Surfrider's Ocean Friendly Restaurants program manager. According to the Surfrider Foundation, to be considered an Ocean Friendly Restaurant, establishments must incorporate the following criteria: Using only reusable foodware for on-site dining Providing straws only upon request No use of Styrofoam No use of plastic bags for takeout orders Must follow proper recycling practices Restaurants must also implement three optional efforts, such as offering vegetarian and vegan food options regularly, using energy-efficient appliances, serving seafood that is 'Best Choice' or 'Good Alternative' as defined by Seafood Watch, or serving no seafood, and making composting efforts for food waste. Here are the full lists of requirements and optional efforts restaurants must follow to be a part of the program. Local restaurants speak out to make waves of change. Eight businesses around the Lowcountry have been recognized by the Surfrider Foundation as Ocean Friendly Restaurants. Some restaurants expressed why the program is important to them. 'Being proactive means protecting what we love – and for us, that's the ocean,' said Cyn Harlow, owner of Sun Dazed Cafe. 'Being an Ocean Friendly Restaurant means more than just good food; it's a commitment to sustainability, conservation, and ensuring that future generations can enjoy the beauty and bounty of our seas,' said Daniel Dalton, the area executive chef for Little Palm. 'For a guest to know we are an earth-friendly restaurant helps them understand right away that we are a business that works to reduce our impact and are conscious of our environment, creating a sense of trust and awareness,' said Greer Gilchrist, co-owner of The Harbinger and Harken Cafe & Bakeries. 'Our mission, mantra, and method is to protect, preserve, AND RESTORE the ecosystems from which healthy, sustainable food comes. And to steer consumers away from species that are overfished. For example, we don't serve tuna because it is grossly over-fished AND full of heavy metals and micro-plastics,' said Kevin Joseph, chef and founder of the Raw Lab and Empire Oyster. Here is a list of all the Ocean Friendly Restaurants in the Charleston area. Why did the Surfrider Foundation create the program? Although the problems of plastic pollution may be complex, the solution behind the program is simple: stop plastic at the source. According to the Surfrider Foundation, the extraction, production, consumption, and disposal of plastic can cause serious environmental and humanitarian consequences. 'By choosing to dine at Surfrider's Ocean Friendly Restaurants, customers can make a difference and help protect the ocean and coasts for all people,' said CJ O'Brien Weddle, Surfrider's Ocean Friendly programs manager. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- 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
