Newport Point. Looking dirty for totally different reasons.
Just in time for summer vacation and 4th of July Weekend, the Natural Resources Defense Council has released their 23rd annual beach water report, Testing The Waters: A Guide To Water Quality At Vacation Beaches. Finally you are able to see what the water quality is like at your favorite beach and make some comparisons.
As a rule, storm water runoff and sewage tend to be the primary causes for bacteria levels to rise. And aside from the health risks dirty beaches pose to communities, surfers, and tourism, sewage in the ocean can make a significant impact on local tourism. In short, it’s bad for business. In more ways than one.
For several years, NRDC has been giving star ratings to the cleanest beaches tested around the country. These popular beaches have exceptionally low violation rates as well as strong testing and safety practices. They were named by the report as “Superstar Beaches:”
Alabama: Gulf Shores Public Beach in Baldwin County
California: Bolsa Chica Beach in Orange County
California: Newport Beach in Orange County
California: San Clemente Beach
Delaware: Rehoboth Beach in Sussex County
Maryland: Ocean City at Beach 6 in Worcester County
Michigan: Bay City State Recreation Area in Bay County
Minnesota: Park Point Franklin Park / 13th Street South Beach Park Point in St. Louis County
New Hampshire: Hampton Beach State Park in Rockingham County
New Hampshire: Wallis Sands Beach in Rockingham County
Alternatively, beaches that had consistent contamination problems included popular destinations frequented by vacation goers, with water samples violating public health codes over 25% of the time:
California: Avalon Beach in Los Angeles County
California: Doheny State Beach in Orange County
Indiana: Jeorse Park Beach in Lake County
New Jersey: Beachwood Beach in Ocean County
New York: Ontario Beach in Monroe County
Ohio: Lakeshore Park in Ashtabula County
Ohio: Euclid State Park in Cuyahoga County
Ohio: Villa Angela State Park in Cuyahoga County
Ohio: Edson Creek in Erie County
Wisconsin: South Shore Beach in Milwaukee County
Take note. Stay healthy. And support your local community in keeping the beaches clean and safe for everyone to enjoy. Get involved in making a difference by supporting organizations like Surfrider and WILDCoast.
Check out the NRDC’s full report here.
