New Wave of Concern About Beaches

For millions of residents and visitors alike, the glittering stretch of coastline from Point Conception to San Diego’s Imperial Beach represents not only a temporary reprieve from summer heat, it epitomizes the Southern California lifestyle. But the bathers who flock to those world-famous beaches are increasingly--and perhaps unknowingly--at risk, threatened by the very water to which they are drawn.

The danger to swimmers comes from the high levels of coastal pollution caused in part by millions of gallons of storm-water waste that flow into the ocean annually. High seawater bacteria levels usually--but not necessarily--occur after heavy rains that overwhelm the storm drain system. When bacteria levels rise, people run an increased risk of infections such as hepatitis and gastroenteritis, which can bring on fever, headache, nausea, stomachache, vomiting and diarrhea.

The presence or potential of elevated bacteria levels led county health officials to close one beach or another between San Diego and Mendocino counties for 338 days last year, according to a recent study by the Natural Resources Defense Council. To get the information for the study, the NRDC contacted each coastal county to obtain information about beach closures because, surprisingly, a statewide survey of beach closings does not exist.

The NRDC report also revealed a worrisome lack of uniform federal or state testing standards that would warn the public if there is a danger. Federal Environmental Protection Agency guidelines ask but don’t require that a beach be declared unsafe when 19 out of 1,000 swimmers are likely to contract gastroenteritis. California does not have laws requiring beaches to be closed if bacteria counts exceed state health standards. And there are no rules mandating that state beaches be closed if bacteria counts exceed the federal guidelines.

Individual counties set their own ocean-water testing standards, and determine the frequency that tests will occur. San Diego County tests the water only four times during the summer. Los Angeles County tests once a week.

Health officials in several coastal counties complained about the NRDC report’s failure to acknowledge that California counties often go further to protect public health than the federal guidelines do.

But California, which is known as an environmentally conscious state, can do better. State officials should act quickly to establish strong and uniform testing standards that are carried out with frequency and are publicized regularly. And Congress should do more to strengthen the federal Clean Water Act.

This Labor Day, weather permitting, people will flock to our beaches. The Golden State must do more to protect them--and one of our great natural treasures.