In the middle of the hot summer, you might be dreaming of a beach vacation. Unfortunately, a lot of US beaches have shown unsafe swimming conditions.
A study showed that 60 percent of America’s 4,500 beaches had at least one day of unsafe bacteria levels in 2018.
The contamination was caused by sewage runoff and animal waste. The dirtiest beach was Southern California’s Cabrillo Beach. It had the highest percentage of unsafe days based on tests.
Illnesses from swimming in contaminated water include stomach flu, rashes, and pink eye.
See a list of beaches below:
Alabama
• Fairhope Public Beach, Baldwin (21 unsafe days, 60 samples)
• Dog River, Alba Club, Mobile (9, 36)
• Camp Beckwith, Baldwin (8, 58)
• Volanta Avenue, Baldwin (8, 36)
• Orange Street Pier, Baldwin (6, 34)
California
• Inner Cabrillo Beach, Los Angeles (85 unsafe days, 175 samples)
• Coronado Ave. Beach, Los Angeles (62, 144)
• Salt Creek Beach, Orange (46, 80)
• Molino Avenue Beach, Los Angeles (45, 130)
• 5th Place Beach, Los Angeles (44, 140)
Florida
• Bayou Texar, Escambia (24 unsafe days, 50 samples)
• Sanders Beach, Escambia (23, 64)
• Crandon Park on Key Biscayne, Miami-Dade (17, 63)
• Bird Key Park, Sarasota (17, 67)
• Venice Fishing Pier, Sarasota (15, 64)
Georgia
• St. Simons Island Lighthouse, Glynn (6 unsafe days, 50 samples)
• Skidaway Narrows, Chatham (3, 8)
• Kings Ferry, Chatham (3, 4)
• Tybee Island, Polk St., Chatham (3, 46)
• Jekyll Driftwood Beach, Glynn (2, 46)
Hawaii
• Keehi Lagoon (North), Honolulu (11 unsafe days, 91 samples)
• Keehi Lagoon (South), Honolulu (10, 91)
• Punaluu Beach Park, Honolulu (9, 12)
• MS2 (Kapoho Point), Honolulu (9, 20)
• Kalihi Channel, Honolulu (8, 91)
Illinois
• South Shore Beach, Cook (93 unsafe days, 98 samples)
• 63rd Street Beach, Cook (91, 95)
• Foster Avenue Beach, Cook (90, 96)
• Calumet South Beach, Cook (89, 96)
• Rogers Avenue Park Beach, Cook (89, 95)
Indiana
• Jeorse Park Beach I, Lake (40 unsafe days, 111 samples)
• Jeorse Park Beach II, Lake (38, 111)
• Buffington Harbor Beach, Lake (28, 111)
• Indiana Dunes State Park East Beach, Porter (23, 101)
• Washington Park Beach, LaPorte (22, 105)
Louisiana
• North Beach, Calcasieu (11 unsafe days, 31 samples)
• Cypremort Point State Park, St. Mary (10, 31)
• Fontainebleau State Park, St. Tammany (10, 29)
• Rutherford Beach, Cameron (9, 31)
• Holly Beach 4, Cameron (7, 31)
Michigan
• St. Clair Shores Memorial Park Beach, Macomb (26 unsafe days, 49 samples)
• Pier Park, Wayne (15, 20)
• HCMA/Lake St. Clair Metropark Beach, Macomb (13, 51)
• New Baltimore Park Beach, Macomb (12, 48)
• Singing Bridge Beach, Arenac (11, 11)
Mississippi
• Gulfport East Beach, Harrison (44 unsafe days, 66 samples)
• Shearwater Beach, Jackson (35, 64)
• Long Beach, Harrison (35, 67)
• Gulfport Central Beach, Harrison (35, 62)
• Courthouse Road Beach, Harrison (34, 60)
New York
• Tanner Park, Suffolk (48 unsafe days, 71 samples)
• Woodlawn Beach State Park, Erie (47, 104)
• Shirley Beach, Suffolk (28, 47)
• Venetian Shores, Suffolk (28, 48)
• Valley Grove Beach, Suffolk (24, 51)
North Carolina
• Sound access at the intersection of
E. Main Street/Tooley Street, Belhaven, Beaufort (11 unsafe days, 35 samples)
• NC Maritime Museum Sailing Camp, Carteret (8, 41)
• Pamlico River – City Park, Beaufort (8, 17)
• End of Shore Line Drive, Pender (7, 39)
• Pamlico River-Washington-Trestle, Beaufort (7, 17)
Ohio
• Bay View West, Erie (48 unsafe days, 70 samples)
• Maumee Bay State Park (Inland), Lucas (43, 56)
• Villa Angela State Park, Cuyahoga (42, 115)
• Lakeview Beach, Lorain (39, 60)
• Euclid State Park, Cuyahoga (38, 112)
South Carolina
• Withers Swash, Horry (32 unsafe days, 70 samples)
• Myrtle Beach at 24th Avenue N, Horry (30, 70)
• White Point Swash, Horry (26, 70)
• Bear Branch Swash, Horry (26, 70)
• Cane Patch Swash, Horry (26, 70)
Virginia
• North Community Beach, Norfolk city (7 unsafe days, 18 samples)
• Captains Quarters, Norfolk city (5, 18)
• 10th View, Behind Quality Inn, Norfolk city (4, 18)
• 15th Street, Virginia Beach city (4, 20)
• 13th View, North End, Norfolk city (3, 18)
Wisconsin
• Cupertino Park, Milwaukee (40 unsafe days, 60 samples)
• McKinley Marina Roundhouse, Milwaukee (36, 61)
• Wolfenbuttel Park, Kenosha (27, 51)
• North Nicolet Bay Campground, Door (18, 59)
• Racine North Beach – Site 1, Racine (18, 65)
Source: Environment America Research and Policy Center
