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Beach Bummed

by Jessica Liebman Jun 16 2008

2007 water-quality reports for popular beaches show that levels of bacterial contamination—we're talking fecal matter from wildlife, storm drains, and leaky sewage systems—have little to do with community affluence. (See all 16 beaches and violations.)


Take Santa Monica, California, where the median home price exceeds $1 million: Its beach was the second-worst offender, with 76 advisories warning of excessive fecal bacteria last summer. New York City's Coney Island, where the median home value is $461,195, had no advisories. While many ocean beaches in the U.S. make it through the swimming season without any advisories, the Environmental Protection Agency is concerned enough that it's doling out $9.75 million in grants this year to improve seashore sanitation.


 
 
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1. Long Beach
Long Beach, California Strollers enjoy Veterans Pier at Long Beach. Note: Number of advisories for all beaches is for the 2007 swimming season as a result of elevated bacteria levels. Swimming season is mid-May to mid-September.
Photograph by: Ben and Glinda Shipley/PhotoShelter

Long Beach, California

Fecal violations: 101

Median home value: $480,000

Sources: Beach closure data from online local-government reports. Home values from Yahoo Real Estate. Violation counts do not correct for such variables as the number of yearly inspections and the aggressiveness of each community’s enforcement agencies.

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2. Santa Monica Beach
Santa Monica, California Fecal violations: 76 Median home value: $1,000,500Note: Data for Santa Monica Beach is from April to September.


 

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