Pollution-Related Beach Closings and Advisories Remain High in 2007

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Pollution-related closings and health advisories at U.S. beaches remained high in 2007, according to NRDC's annual report on beachwater quality. The reported number of closings and advisories made 2007 the second-worst for beaches since NRDC began tracking these events 18 years ago. (Only the previous year was worse.)

Across the United States, ocean, bay and Great Lakes beaches reported more than 22,500 days of closings and advisories in 2007. As in 2006, heavy rainfall 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 were a growing problem in 2007, the report shows, with the number of closings and advisories blamed on sewage more than tripling from the previous year.

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 Beach Protection Act, recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives and awaits action in the Senate. 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, 56 percent of reported beaches are monitored, and 44 percent are monitored at least once a week. Increased monitoring continues to highlight the extensive problem of beachwater pollution. NRDC identified 131 beaches in 23 states that violated public health standards more than 25 percent of the time in 2007, 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 Beach Protection Act supported by NRDC would provide additional federal money to state and local governments, helping them to 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 more than 100 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.

Photo: (top) Getty images

Related NRDC Pages
Beach Pollution FAQ
Guide to Finding Clean Beaches
Your Life. Your Oceans.

Based on TESTING THE WATERS 2008: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches, an August 2008 report by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

last revised 10.31.08