(NEXSTAR) – If you can’t visit one of the country’s best beaches, it might be wise to at least avoid some of the most bacteria-ridden.
The annual Clean Water report from the Surfrider Foundation aims to raise awareness for the importance of water quality monitoring by calling out some of America’s “beach bacteria hotspots.” The non-profit organization, together with volunteers from its Blue Water Task Force (BWTF), gathered data for the latest edition of its annual report over the last year, collecting water samples from beaches from coast to coast, and from Puerto Rico and Hawaii.
“Across the country, Surfrider’s BWTF volunteers are committed to measuring water quality conditions at the beaches they love and rallying their communities around protecting clean water for future generations to enjoy,” the organization wrote in its report.
How are bacteria ‘hotspots’ determined?
Analysts with the Surfrider Foundation studied more than 10,120 samples from 604 beaches and recreational water areas in 2024 (the BWTF collects samples year-round), identifying those that exceeded their states’ standards for acceptable bacteria levels. Certain beaches that were found to have high percentages of samples that exceeded acceptable bacterial levels were deemed “bacteria hotspots” by Surfrider.
“Each location regularly shows dangerous levels of fecal-indicator bacteria tied to human illnesses, including gastrointestinal issues, flu-like symptoms, and serious skin conditions like MRSA and staph infections,” the Clean Water report reads.
Not all U.S. beaches were considered in the study
It’s important to note, however, that Surfrider’s BWTF partners did not collect data from all beaches across the U.S. A map included with the annual report shows large swaths of the Northeast and Southeast coasts — in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Georgia — where no samples were collected. Very few were collected along the Gulf region, too.
Surfrider said its workers and volunteers are continually expanding its sampling efforts.
That said, beaches and recreational water areas identified as “hotspots” based on Surfrider’s 2024 samples include:
- Windmill Beach — Sag Harbor, New York
- Ballard Park — Melbourne, Florida
- Park View Kayak Launch — Miami Beach, Florida
- Playa Crash Boat — Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
- South Sound Thea Foss Floating Dock — Tacoma, Washington
- Linda Mar Beach — Pacifica, California
- San Luis Creek Mouth — Avila Beach, California
- Imperial Beach — San Diego, California
- Kahalu’u Kahalu’u — Oahu, Hawaii
- Waikomo Stream at Koloa Landing — Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii
Surfrider, in its report, also advocated for funding to continue the Environmental Protection Agency’s BEACH Act grants, which are provided to pay for water-monitoring programs. As seen in a recent letter to the Secretary of Appropriations, the Trump administration is calling on major cuts to the EPA, which could hinder the work done to monitor and maintain water quality, according to Surfrider.
The non-profit says such a move “could leave families completely blind to pollution issues at America’s beaches.”
More information about Surfrider’s findings, including its history and methodology, can be found in the organization’s official website and annual report.
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