Latest news with #SurfRider
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Travel + Leisure
17-06-2025
- Health
- Travel + Leisure
This Florida Beach Has the Highest Bacteria Rates in the State
Not every beach or waterway in Florida is a pristine stretch of white beach. One stretch of water in Miami is officially dirty. The SurfRider foundation released their rankings of the top "Beach Bacteria Hot Spots" in the U.S., and it has declared Park View Kayak Launch in Miami Beach, Florida, as a bacteria hot spot, ranked at 90 percent. The water is highly polluted, making it unsafe for swimming. The Beach Bacteria Hot Spots that are ranked represent a variety of recreational waters, beaches, and access points that are important to local communities, but threaten public health. During 2024, SurfRider's Blue Water Task Force processed more than 10 thousand water samples from 604 sampling sites to determine which spots had unsafe levels of bacteria. The organization works to inform communities about public health, as well as advocate for the protection and clean-up of heavily polluted beaches. The Blue Water Task Force works year-round to provide public health protection even during the off-season when water samples generally are not being collected. The problem at Park View Kayak Launch began when a sewer main broke in March 2020, flooding the water with pollution. Usually, pollution from a sewer main break only lasts for a few days, but for many reasons, including outdated infrastructure, the pollution has persisted at Park View Kaway Launch for years. The city has an action plan to address the issue, but despite efforts, the water continues to have unsafe levels of sewage in it. 'The Park View Canal "no contact with the water" advisory remains in place for the area adjacent to the kayak launch at 73 Street. Water sampling results continue to show a fecal indicator bacteria concentration that exceeds recreational water quality standards established by the Florida Department of Health,' the Miami Beach website states. A "No Contact With Water" sign at the Kayak Launch. Visitors to Miami should be aware of the 'no contact' order and avoid getting too close to the sewage-polluted water, as it could be deleterious for health until the waterway is sufficiently cleaned. 'At Surfrider, we believe everyone should have access to clean water to surf, swim, and play in. Improving coastal water quality has been one of our top priorities since the Surfrider Foundation was founded in 1984,' the SurfRider website states.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This Southern California Beach Has the Highest Bacteria Rates in the State—and It's One of the Dirtiest in the U.S.
Ocean-focused environmental nonprofit the Surfrider Foundation recently released its annual Clean Water Report. It found that Imperial Beach, near San Diego, had the highest bacteria rate in California. A large part of the problem stems from an overflow of sewage from a treatment plant in long coastline might be known for its beautiful and dramatic beaches, but one of them is a bacteria hot spot—and a threat to public health. The nonprofit environmental organization, the Surfrider Foundation, recently released its annual Clean Water Report. For its report, the foundation collected 10,120 water samples from 604 sampling sites across the country. After analyzing all the samples, it found that Imperial Beach in San Diego County, California, was the dirtiest beach in the state—and one of the most contaminated in the U.S.—with a bacteria rate of 82 percent. However, this is a known problem to the city, and the high bacteria rate is largely due to an overflow of sewage pollution from the Tijuana River. The beach is currently closed. 'The failures in Tijuana's sewage treatment, conveyance, and pump station network have been responsible for the decades of transboundary sewage flows coming through the Tijuana River, which have significantly worsened since 2017,' the City of Imperial Beach said in a February statement on its website. 'The beach is closed because sewage flows in the Tijuana River are exceptionally high.' Imperial Beach is actively trying to address the issue, but the problem spans across the border into Mexico, and despite its best efforts, the high levels of pollution and unpleasant smells from the pollution continue on the beach. 'The City of Imperial Beach is engaged in continuous advocacy at every level of government, including requests to fund immediate solutions and petitions for declarations of emergency from the Governor of California and President of the United States,' the Imperial Beach said in its February statement. 'Unfortunately, all requests for a declaration of emergency have been denied.' A declaration of emergency would make it easier for Imperial Beach to access emergency funding and work on infrastructure projects that could ease the flow of pollution from Mexico into the San Diego area. The city encourages residents to file official complaints about the odor and air quality problems—the formal reports serve as an official record of the scope of the problem at Imperial Beach. 'Everyone deserves to enjoy a fun day at the beach without worrying about getting sick from exposure to pollution,' the SurfRider organization said in its Clean Water Report. Other hotspots that made the list this year include places like Windmill Beach in Sag Harbor, New York; Ballard Park in Melbourne, Florida; and Kahaluu on Oahu in Hawaii. Using the information they've gathered the Surfrider Foundation works to protect clean water for all by advocating at the local, state, and federal levels. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
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Travel + Leisure
03-06-2025
- Health
- Travel + Leisure
This Southern California Beach Has the Highest Bacteria Rates in the State—and It's One of the Dirtiest in the U.S.
California's long coastline might be known for its beautiful and dramatic beaches, but one of them is a bacteria hot spot—and a threat to public health. The nonprofit environmental organization, the Surfrider Foundation, recently released its annual Clean Water Report. For its report, the foundation collected 10,120 water samples from 604 sampling sites across the country. After analyzing all the samples, it found that Imperial Beach in San Diego County, California, was the dirtiest beach in the state—and one of the most contaminated in the U.S.—with a bacteria rate of 82 percent. However, this is a known problem to the city, and the high bacteria rate is largely due to an overflow of sewage pollution from the Tijuana River. The beach is currently closed. 'The failures in Tijuana's sewage treatment, conveyance, and pump station network have been responsible for the decades of transboundary sewage flows coming through the Tijuana River, which have significantly worsened since 2017,' the City of Imperial Beach said in a February statement on its website. 'The beach is closed because sewage flows in the Tijuana River are exceptionally high.' Imperial Beach is actively trying to address the issue, but the problem spans across the border into Mexico, and despite its best efforts, the high levels of pollution and unpleasant smells from the pollution continue on the beach. 'The City of Imperial Beach is engaged in continuous advocacy at every level of government, including requests to fund immediate solutions and petitions for declarations of emergency from the Governor of California and President of the United States,' the Imperial Beach said in its February statement. 'Unfortunately, all requests for a declaration of emergency have been denied.' A declaration of emergency would make it easier for Imperial Beach to access emergency funding and work on infrastructure projects that could ease the flow of pollution from Mexico into the San Diego area. The city encourages residents to file official complaints about the odor and air quality problems—the formal reports serve as an official record of the scope of the problem at Imperial Beach. 'Everyone deserves to enjoy a fun day at the beach without worrying about getting sick from exposure to pollution,' the SurfRider organization said in its Clean Water Report. Other hotspots that made the list this year include places like Windmill Beach in Sag Harbor, New York; Ballard Park in Melbourne, Florida; and Kahaluu on Oahu in Hawaii. Using the information they've gathered the Surfrider Foundation works to protect clean water for all by advocating at the local, state, and federal levels.
