Some Good News for Local Beaches

The Surfrider Foundation’s 2022 Clean Water Report points to issues around the U.S., while San Clemente and Dana Point’s waterways remained relatively clean

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

More than 100 million people go to the beach every year in America.

That mind-boggling number comes to us from Surfrider Foundation’s newly released 2022 Clean Water Report—just in time for World Ocean Day on Thursday, June 8.

An exhaustive annual report that highlights the work of Surfrider’s Blue Water Task Force and Ocean Friendly Gardens programs around the country, the report collects data and shares information that gives an important look at the health of our beaches and waterways.

The top line takeaway from the report is that out of the more than 9,000 water samples collected from nearly 500 sites, 19% of them revealed high bacteria levels that surpass health and safety recommendations. Meanwhile, 70% had low bacteria levels, while 11% had medium bacteria levels.

“Through Surfrider’s Clean Water Initiative, we strive to protect water quality and reduce pollution so it’s safe to surf, swim and play in the ocean and in our coastal waterways,” Mara Dias, Surfrider’s Water Quality Initiative senior manager, said in a press statement.

“As nearly 10 trillion gallons of untreated stormwater runoff flow into U.S. waterways every year, Surfrider chapters and activists are building awareness of water pollution problems and advocating for solutions to protect clean water and healthy coastal ecosystems for all people,” Dias continued.

And while there’s surely much work to be done around this great country of ours, locally speaking, San Clemente and Dana Point beaches all fared well last year.

Based on reporting information on the Blue Water Task Force’s website,100% of samples collected at the Dana Point Marine Protected Area, Baby Beach, Doheny State Beach, Poche, San Clemente Pier and Riviera met water quality standards set by the California State Water Resources Control Board.

The only beach in the area that came in under 100% was San Onofre, which only met state water quality standards 67% of the time.

And just what is the Blue Water Task Force, you may ask? Built around Surfrider’s extensive volunteer network, the program is dedicated to implementing water testing programs, raising awareness, and putting solutions to work.