Pollution-Related Beach Closings and Advisories Remain High in 2008
Stormwater and sewage spills continue to wash pollution into beach waters.
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Pollution-related closings and health advisories at U.S. beaches remained high in 2008, according to NRDC's annual report on beachwater quality. The reported number of closings and advisories made 2008 the fourth-worst for beaches since NRDC began tracking these events 19 years ago.
Across the United States, ocean, bay and Great Lakes beaches reported more than 20,000 days of closings and advisories in 2008. As in 2007, stormwater that washes sewage, debris and other pollutants from cities and towns into coastal waters continued to be a major cause, and NRDC expects the trend to persist. In addition, sewage spills and overflows accounted for 15 percent of closing/advisory days with a known contamination source.
Improved Monitoring Shows Need for Revised Health Standards
Since 1991, NRDC's annual watchdog report, "Testing the Waters: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches," has sparked several improvements in beachwater monitoring. The report helped spur enactment of the federal BEACH Act of 2000, which provided grants to state and local governments to set up beachwater monitoring programs. A bill to reauthorize that law, called the Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act awaits action in Congress. It would increase the federal funds available to beachwater managers and allow those funds to be used for detecting and cleaning up sources of beachwater pollution, as well as for monitoring and public notification.
According to the most recent data available, 62 percent of reported beaches are monitored, and 47 percent are monitored at least once a week. Increased monitoring continues to highlight the extensive problem of beachwater pollution. NRDC identified 124 beaches in 20 states that violated public health standards more than 25 percent of the time in 2008, according to state and local monitoring data.
Keeping Water Safe by Cleaning Up Pollution
The best way to keep swimmers from getting sick is to keep pollution out of the water. The new Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act supported by NRDC would provide additional federal money to state and local governments, helping them track sources of beachwater pollution and remove them.
Improvements could include fixing leaky plumbing in bathhouses, upgrading trash removal at the beach, or providing pet waste bags to beachgoers. Controls on sewage overflows, urban stormwater and other sources of polluted runoff are also critical to keeping beaches open for swimming.
People can also help clean up beach pollution by taking simple steps, such as picking up pet waste, maintaining septic systems, putting plastic pants on babies, keeping trash off the beach, and properly disposing of household toxics, used motor oil and boating wastes.
Beach Ratings
This year, NRDC is rating 200 popular beaches based on the cleanliness of the water and their monitoring and public notification practices. How clean is your beach? Check the ratings here.
Do Something
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Learn More
NRDC Report: Testing the Waters
Map of Water Quality at Popular Beaches
Wallet Card: Stay Healthy and Safe This Summer (pdf)
