Unsafe water warning issued for one of America’s most visited beach destinations

If you’re still nailing down summer vacation plans, you might want to strike some southern California beaches from your list.

Environmental non-profit group Heal the Bay ranked Santa Monica Pier among the Golden State’s most polluted beaches for the fifth year in a row.

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The beaches at the Pier are some of the state’s most popular tourist destinations. The landmark is “an internationally recognized icon of Southern California” that draws more than 9 million visitors each year, Pacific Park, an amusement park at Santa Monica Pier, reported.

Heal the Bay’s annual Beach Report Card tracks amounts of fecal pollution measured at ocean beaches “from sites in Mexico near Tijuana all the way up the coast through Washington.”

For the second consecutive year, Santa Monica Pier came in second place on Heal the Bay’s 36th annual “Beach Bummers” list that ranks “chronic pollution from urban runoff, bacteria hotspots and aging infrastructure.” Playa Blanca, in Tijuana, was ranked first.

Heal the Bay further reported that rainfall and runoff and sewage spills impact coastal waters.

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Santa Monica Pier has made the Beach Bummers list for 15 of the last 21 years, despite efforts to improve the water quality.  

“Upgrades from the City of Santa Monica, such as stormwater capture systems and installation of bird deterrent netting, have been implemented to reduce pollution,” Heal the Bay said in its report.

“While many of these upgrades have aligned with temporary improvements to water quality, bacteria levels have since increased. These persistent problems highlight the need for sustained investment and maintenance to improve the area’s environmental health.”

Storm-impacted beaches and chronic pollution sites “remain key concerns” in Santa Monica Pier, the report said. The group also said it has formed a task force with the City of Santa Monica to determine the cause of the Pier’s pollution, “which will help inform recommended solutions.”

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Twenty-one California beaches made Heal the Bay’s “Honor Roll List,” which recognizes consistently excellent conditions. That number is down from 62 last year. Bluff Cove, Palos Verdes Estates in Los Angeles County took the top Honor Roll spot.

According to Heal the Bay, fecal pollution is “of particular concern because even a single exposure can result in illness.”

The Environmental Protection Agency reported that swimming, diving or wading in water contaminated with fecal bacteria can result in severe infection and illness.

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Areas surrounding Santa Monica Pier were included in a public health advisory due to elevated bacteria levels in ocean water last year, Fox News Digital reported.

In Florida, the Department of Health in Miami-Dade County (DOH Miami-Dade) just released a water-quality advisory for Crandon Park North in Key Biscayne because levels of fecal-related bacteria exceeds levels established by the state.

DOH Miami-Dade advised against any water-related activities at the beach “due to an increased risk of illness in swimmers.”

The State of Washington Department of Ecology advises people avoid contact with fresh or marine water for at least 24 hours after heavy rainfall as well as with pipes or streams that drain directly to the beach.