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Advocates call for continued investment in water infrastructure
East County News Service
July 29, 2023 (San Diego) - As Californians return to local beaches this summer, a new report warns that more work is needed to ensure that all waters are safe for swimming. In 2022, 197 beaches were potentially unsafe for swimming on at least one day, according to Environment California Research and Policy Center’s latest analysis of bacteria testing, titled Safe for Swimming?
Nearly all San Diego County beaches had dangerous levels of contaminants at least once last year and some were far worse. Imperial Beach was the worst of all, posing health risks nearly three-quarters of the dates tested. In 2023, Imperial Beach has been closed due to contamination from Mexican sewage, but it’s far from the only shoreline unsafe for humans or pets.
The new research comes as states decide how much federal and state funding to spend on reducing sewage overflows and runoff pollution.
“Even as Californians are back to enjoying the fresh sea breeze and splash of waves at the beach, pollution is still plaguing too many of the places where we swim," said Laura Deehan, State Director for Environment California Research and Policy Center. "Now is the time to fix our water infrastructure and stop the flow of pathogens to our beaches.”
To assess beach safety, the group examined whether fecal indicator bacteria levels exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) most protective “Beach Action Value,” which is associated with an estimated illness rate of 32 out of every 1,000 swimmers. 37 California beaches exceeded this safety threshold on one-quarter of days tested last year, with Imperial Beach in San Diego County having higher bacteria levels on 73 percent of days tested.
Other California beaches found potentially unsafe for swimming at least once in 2022 are:
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Crown Beach (Alameda Co) |
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Keller Beach (Contra Costa Co) |
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Clam Beach Co. Park |
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Luffenholtz Beach |
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Mad River Beach Co. Park |
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Moonstone Beach |
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Trinidad State Beach |
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Alamitos Bay Beach |
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Avalon Beach |
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Carbon Beach |
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Colorado Lagoon |
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Dan Blocker County Beach |
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Dockweiler State Beach |
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El Segundo Beach |
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Escondido Beach |
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Hermosa Beach |
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Inner Cabrillo Beach |
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La Costa Beach |
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Las Tunas County Beach |
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Leo Carillo State Beach |
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Long Beach |
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Malibu Beach |
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Malibu Lagoon State Beach |
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Manhattan Beach |
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Marina Del Rey Beach - Mothers Beach |
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Nicholas Canyon County Beach |
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Outer Cabrillo Beach |
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Paradise Cove |
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Point Dume County Beach |
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Puerco Beach |
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Redondo Beach |
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Royal Palms State Beach |
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Santa Monica State Beach |
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Surfrider Beach |
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Topanga State Beach |
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Venice City Beach |
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Will Rogers State Beach |
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Zuma Beach |
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Bolinas Beach |
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Chicken Ranch |
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China Camp |
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Dillon Beach |
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Drake's Beach |
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Drakes Estero |
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Fort Baker Horseshoe Cove |
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Heart's Desire |
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Lawson's Landing |
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Mcnears Beach |
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Miller Park |
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Millerton Point |
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Muir Beach |
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Paradise Cove |
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Rodeo Beach |
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Schoonmaker Beach |
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Shell Beach |
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Stinson Beach |
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Whitehouse Pool |
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Big River-Mendocino Bay Headlands Sp |
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Caspar Headlands Sb |
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Hare Creek |
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Pudding Creek Beach |
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Van Damme Sp |
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Asilomar State Beach |
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Carmel Beach |
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Carmel River State Beach |
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Del Monte Beach |
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Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Beach |
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Lover's Point |
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Marina State Beach |
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Monastery Beach |
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Monterey Beach Hotel |
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Moss Landing State Beach |
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San Carlos Beach |
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Seaside Beach |
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Spanish Bay Beach |
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Stillwater Cove |
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Zmudowski State Beach |
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Aliso County Beach |
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Bolsa Chica State Beach |
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Capistrano Bay District |
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Capistrano Beach |
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Crystal Cove State Park |
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Dana Point |
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Dana Point Harbor |
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Doheny State Beach |
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Huntington City Beach |
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Huntington Harbor |
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Huntington State Beach |
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Laguna Beach |
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Monarch Beach |
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Newport Bay |
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Newport Beach |
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Newport Slough |
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Poche County Beach |
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San Clemente City Beach |
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San Clemente State Beach |
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Seal Beach Surfside |
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South Laguna Beach |
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Sunset County Beach |
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Border Field State Park |
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Buccaneer Beach |
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Cardiff State Beach |
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Carlsbad Municipal Beach |
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Carlsbad State Beach |
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Coronado City Beaches |
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Coronado North Beach |
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Dog Beach, O.B. |
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Harbor Beach |
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Imperial Beach Municipal Beach |
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Imperial Beach Pier Area |
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La Jolla Cove |
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La Jolla Shores Beach |
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Leucadia |
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Marine Street Beach |
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Mission Bay, Bahia Point |
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Mission Bay, Campland on the Bay |
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Mission Bay, Fanuel Park |
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Mission Bay, Leisure Lagoon |
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Mission Bay, Mariners Basin |
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Mission Bay, San Juan Cove |
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Mission Bay, Vacation Isle |
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Mission Bay, Ventura Cove |
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Mission Beach |
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Moonlight Beach |
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Non-Accessible or Restricted Access Shoreline on Pt. Loma |
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North Imperial Beach |
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Ocean Beach |
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Oceanside Municipal Beach |
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Pacific Beach |
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Powerhouse Park 15th Street |
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San Diego Bay |
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San Dieguito River Beach |
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San Elijo State Beach |
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Silver Strand State Beach |
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Solana Beach City Beaches |
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South Carlsbad State Beach |
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South Casa Beach S.D. |
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Sunset Cliffs Park |
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Swami's Park |
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Tecolote Shores |
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Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge |
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Torrey Pines State Beach |
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Tourmaline Surfing Park |
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Whispering Sands Nicholson Pt. |
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Windansea Beach |
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Aquatic Park |
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Baker Beach |
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Candlestick Point |
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China Beach |
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Crane Cove Park |
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Crissy Field |
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Islais Creek Channel |
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Mission Bay Channel |
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Ocean Beach |
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Avila Beach |
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Cayucos Beach |
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Hearst Memorial State Beach |
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Morro Bay City Beach |
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Morro Strand State Beach |
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Oceano Dunes State Rec Area |
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Olde Port Beach |
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Pismo State Beach |
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San Simeon Beach |
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Sewers |
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Aquatic Park |
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Bean Hollow State Beach |
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Coyote Point County Park |
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Dunes State Beach |
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Fitzgerald Marine (Moss Beach) |
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Francis State Beach |
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Gazos Creek Access |
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Kiteboard Beach |
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Lakeshore Park |
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Oyster Point Marina |
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Pacifica State Beach |
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Pescadero State Beach |
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Pillar Point Harbor |
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Pomponio State Beach |
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Rockaway Beach |
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Roosevelt State Beach |
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San Gregorio State Beach |
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Sharp Park Beach |
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Surfers Beach |
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Venice State Beach |
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Arroyo Burro |
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Butterfly Beach |
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Carpinteria State |
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Coal Oil Point |
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East Beach |
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El Capitan State Beach |
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Gaviota State Beach |
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Goleta Beach |
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Guadalupe Dunes |
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Hammonds |
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Hope Ranch Beach |
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Isla Vista Beach |
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Jalama Beach |
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Leadbetter |
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Refugio State Beach |
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Summerland Beach |
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Capitola City Beach |
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Corcoran Lagoon Beach |
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Cowell Beach |
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Hidden Beach |
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Lighthouse Beach |
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Main Beach |
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Manresa State Beach |
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Mitchell's Cove Beach |
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Moran Lake, County Beach |
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Natural Bridges State Beach |
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New Brighton State Beach |
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Pajaro Dunes Beach |
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Pleasure Point Beach |
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Rio Del Mar Beach |
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San Vicente Beach |
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Scott Creek Beach |
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Seabright Beach |
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Seacliff State Beach |
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Sunny Cove Beach |
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Sunset State Beach |
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Twin Lakes State Beach |
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Waddell Creek Beach |
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Black Point Regional Park Beach |
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Campbell Cove State Beach |
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Doran Regional Park Beach |
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Goat Rock State Park Beach |
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Gualala Regional Park Beach |
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Salmon Creek State Park Beach |
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Still Water Cove Regional Park Beach |
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County Line Beach |
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Emma Woods State Beach |
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Faria County Park Beach |
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Hobie Beach |
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Hobson County Park Beach |
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Hollywood Beach |
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Kiddie Beach |
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La Conchita Beach |
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Mandos Cove Beach |
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Marina Park Beach |
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Oil Piers Beach |
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Ormond Beach |
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Oxnard Beach |
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Oxnard Beach Park |
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Peninsula Beach |
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Point Mugu Beach |
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Port Hueneme Beach Park |
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Promenade Park Beach |
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Rincon Beach |
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San Buenaventura State Beach |
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Silverstrand Beach |
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Solimar Beach |
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Staircase Beach |
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Surfers Knoll Beach |
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Surfers Point at Seaside |
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Sycamore Cove Beach |
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Thornhill Broome Beach |
Polluted runoff from roads and parking lots, overflowing or failing sewer systems, and industrial livestock operations are common sources of contamination that can put swimmers’ health at risk and lead authorities to close beaches or issue health advisories. Scientists estimate 57 million instances of people getting sick each year in the United States from swimming in polluted waters. Those illnesses can include nausea, diarrhea, ear infections and rashes.
The report recommends major investments to stop sewage overflows and runoff pollution. Smart investments in nature-based solutions and repair of aging systems yield cleaner water. While the federal bipartisan infrastructure law significantly increased funding to California for sewage and stormwater to $127,290,000, state officials have estimated related project costs at $26.2 Billion over the next twenty years. California can also allocate American Recovery dollars and tap state and local funds for the effort.
“More than 50 years ago, our nation resolved that we would make all our waterways safe for swimming,” said Laura Deehan. “It is time for California officials to commit themselves to that goal and build on the progress of the bipartisan infrastructure law to get there.”
How to find current beach advisories and closures
To find current beach advisories and closures in California, visit: California Water Quality Monitoring Council.
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