Swimming Discouraged at Many US Beaches Due to Fecal Pollution

As the holiday weekend approaches, countless Americans will likely flock to coastal areas for a final summer getaway. However, diving into the sea may be ill-advised as numerous beaches are issuing warnings of unsafe water conditions due to fecal pollution.

Warnings about the water quality have been issued from Florida's Crystal River to Ogunquit in Maine. These alerts focus on elevated bacterial levels linked to fecal contamination, urging beach visitors to refrain from swimming as the bacteria can lead to stomach issues, skin irritations, and other ailments.

Noteworthy beaches around the nation, such as Hyannis's Keyes Memorial Beach in Massachusetts, Bay Shore's Benjamin's Beach on Long Island, New York, and even sections of San Diego's Imperial Beach coastline, have been temporarily shut down. Additionally, Hawaii's authorities have flagged high bacterial presence at Kahaluu Beach Park on the Big Island.

This issue isn't new and persists nationwide. According to Environment America, about two-thirds of tested beaches in 2024 dealt with at least one instance of potential fecal contamination, creating apprehensions about swimming safety.

The extensive study reviewed coastal and Great Lakes beaches, revealing that 84% of beaches on the Gulf Coast exceeded safe limits on at least one occasion. West Coast beaches saw 79% with similar issues, while on the East Coast, that number was 54%, and the figure was 71% for Great Lakes locations.

Around 450 beaches were deemed risky for swimming on at least 25% of the days evaluated. Contributing to this problem are outdated sewer systems that allow contaminants to end up in swimming areas, explained John Rumpler, a senior attorney with Environment America.

Contributing Causes

Rumpler stressed the necessity of modernizing infrastructure to prevent human waste from polluting swimming areas, as America's beaches are invaluable assets shared by everyone. Besides infrastructure woes, excessive rainfall overtaxes sewage systems, and urban expansion diminishes nature’s capacity to neutralize stormwater, worsening beach contamination.

Despite warnings, some beachgoers seem undeterred. Last month, Rehoboth Beach in Delaware experienced high fecal bacteria indicators, yet visitor Yaromyr Oryshkevych, a retired dentist, was unfazed. He believes natural ocean movements ameliorate local contamination concerns.

Dana West, visiting Rehoboth Beach, recalled a previous vacation where he and others in his group suffered gastrointestinal problems after snorkeling off Isla Mujeres, Mexico—a reminder of the risks involved.

Even so, West remains optimistic about the water quality at Rehoboth Beach, citing reliance on authorities to provide updates if contaminant levels become alarmingly high.

Yet, even confident beach enthusiasts should stay cautious as certain nearby areas, like Rehoboth Bay and Dewey Beach, were under advisories, although public notices might not always be evident.

Understanding the Safety Assessments

Environment America's findings emphasized a connection between fecal bacteria levels and swim advisories, using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards that indicate probable illness in 32 out of 1,000 swimmers if exceeded.

In North Carolina, late August saw five beaches facing warnings due to elevated bacterial counts. Although they remain accessible, the public is notified about potential health risks by North Carolina's Department of Environmental Quality.

The degradation of some coastal regions is attributed to severe weather events like Hurricane Erin, as well as intense rainfalls, further complicating the contamination challenges.

“These storm drains collect everything,” noted Erin Bryan-Millush from the Department of Environmental Quality. Such environments could be particularly hazardous for individuals with weaker immune systems.