Report: Texas beaches have unsafe levels of fecal bacteria A trip to the beach could make you sick. A new report finds potentially unsafe water quality at several Texas beaches, including a few in the greater Houston area.
How safe are Texas beaches?
A report from the Environment Texas Research and Policy Center found that the majority of Texas beaches had unsafe levels of fecal bacteria at least one day out of the year. In 2020, 61 Texas beaches were tested and 55 of them were found to be unsafe.
Where are Texas' worst beaches for fecal matter contamination?
Cole Park's beach in Corpus Christi and Sylvan Beach in La Porte were among some of the state's worst offenders where fecal matter contamination was deemed "unsafe" nearly 60 percent of the days they were tested in 2020.
Is it safe to swim at Texas City Dike Beach?
However, swimming at the Texas City Dike Beach may be dangerous for your health. Two services engaged in checking water quality disapprove of swimming in this area. Texas Beach Watch is warning that enterococcus (fecal) bacteria counts here are between 35 and 104cfu/100ml (last update: July 4th, 2019).
How are Texas beaches monitored for Enterococcus bacteria?
Texas Beach Watch monitors Texas' recreational beaches for Enterococcus bacteria, sometimes called fecal matter. Water samples are collected and analyzed on a weekly basis. SwimGuide.org is a global initiative which monitors water quality on different beaches across the globe, based on regularly taken water samples.
Is it safe to swim in Texas beaches?
How contaminated are Texas beaches? The report called Safe For Swimming tested 61 Texas beaches in 2020 for fecal matter and found that 55 were potentially unsafe for swimming on at least one day. 31 beaches were potentially unsafe on at least 25% of the days they were tested.
Why are Texas beaches bacteria?
The program, known as Texas Beach Watch in our state, tests for a bacterial indicator called Enterococcus. The bacteria is common in rain runoff and levels often spike after periods of heavy rain. GCHD routinely tests 52 beach sites through the program.
Why are Texas beaches so dirty?
Texas has a dirty water problem, and there are three main contributors, according to the 2021 Safe for Swimming report from Environment Texas Research and Policy Center: buildings and concrete pavement of natural areas, leaking city sewer systems and large livestock farms.
Is Galveston beach still contaminated?
Luckily, our bacteria monitoring program has shown that most of the time bacteria levels in Galveston Bay are low enough to be considered safe for swimming.
Are Texas beaches contaminated?
A new report from Environment Texas states that pathogens pose a risk at the majority of Texas beaches. “In 2021, all but 12 of 104 beaches were potentially unsafe for swimming on at least one day where they were tested,” according to the Safe for Swimming report.
What is the dirtiest beach in Texas?
Corpus Christi Bay is home to Texas' five dirtiest beachesCole Park Site #3 (between Louisiana Avenue and Lemin Avenue) was measured to be potentially unsafe 81% of the time.Ropes Park Site #2 was potentially unsafe 73% of the time.Cole Park Site #4 (near the skate park) was unsafe 79% of the time.More items...•
What is the dirtiest beach in the US?
10 Dirtiest Beaches In America1 Cypremort State Park, Louisiana.2 Beachwood Beach in Ocean County, New Jersey. ... 3 Goodies Beach in Knox County, Maine. ... 4 Jersey Park Beach in Lake County, Indiana. ... 5 Malibu Pier in Los Angeles County, California. ... 6 South Shore Beach, Wisconsin. ... 7 Doheny State Beach, California. ... More items...•
What state has cleanest beaches?
Best Beaches:Massachusetts: ... Maryland: ... North Carolina: ... New Hampshire: Hampton Beach State Park in Rockingham County. ... New Jersey: Washington (Margate) in Atlantic County. ... New York: Long Beach City in Nassau County.Virginia: Virginia Beach at 28th St. ... Washington: Westhaven State Park, South Jetty in Grays Harbor.More items...•
Is there bacteria in Galveston beach?
GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas - Galveston County Health officials are warning beach-goers about a water-borne bacteria called Vibrio Vulnificus that's common around this region, after a Katy man passed away recently.
Can you swim in Galveston right now?
Luckily, our bacteria monitoring program has shown that most of the time bacteria levels in Galveston Bay are low enough to be considered safe for swimming.
Can you swim in Galveston beach today?
Yes, the water is safe to swim in. Water quality is tested monthly by the Galveston Bay Foundation to ensure bacteria levels are safe for swimmers.
How dirty is Galveston beach?
Galveston is notorious for its beaches being not very clean. It's far from pleasant to see trash and empty cans lying on the sand. Moreover, the water near some Seawall beaches is also polluted.
What beaches have bacteria in Texas?
It is listed as the most unsafe area for swimming due to bacteria in Texas. Cole Park, Emerald Beach, and Corpus Christi Marina were all found potentially unsafe over 50 percent of the time. Other areas in Nueces County with unsafe bacteria levels were Poenisch Park (#5), Park Road 22 (#7) and Port Aransas (#9).
Why are Houston beaches dirty?
After large rain events, bacteria swarm the beaches, Farrell-Sherman said. “I think the fact that 90 percent of our beaches in Texas are unsafe to swim in at least once a year — that speaks to a really big problem with runoff pollution,” she said. “It's something that's not only gross, but it can make us sick.”
How dirty is Galveston beach?
Galveston is notorious for its beaches being not very clean. It's far from pleasant to see trash and empty cans lying on the sand. Moreover, the water near some Seawall beaches is also polluted.
What is the cleanest beach in the US?
1. Flamenco Beach, Puerto Rico. 2. Kapalua Bay Beach, Maui, Hawaii.
Who funds Texas Beach Watch?
Texas Beach Watch is a program funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Texas General Land Office (GLO), which administers the program.
Where are water samples collected in Texas?
Water samples are collected and tested at selected recreational beaches along the Texas coast in Aransas, Brazoria, Cameron, Galveston, Harris, and Jefferson, Matagorda, Nueces and San Patricio counties. During the peak beach season, which runs from May through September, water samples are collected weekly. During the rest of the year samples are ...
How many miles of coastline is there in Texas?
The Texas coast has plentiful natural resources with over 367 miles of gulf shoreline and 3,300 miles of bay shoreline. Our coastal communities interest travelers for swimming and sunning, fishing, beachcombing, birding or simply sight-seeing. The Texas coast has something for everyone.
Does Texas General Land Office use cookies?
The Texas General Land Office analyzes server logs for statistical purposes only and makes no attempt to personally identify Web site visitors. Statistics such as time, date, or pages requested are used for assessing the information of most interest to users and identifying system performance or problem areas. The GLO Web site does not use "cookies" (small text files created by the web server that reside on the user's hard drive) to track specific information and does not collect information through other technological processes. Information collected by electronic mail and by web forms may be subject to the Public Information Act; however, email addresses of those who correspond with the GLO are confidential and may not be disclosed unless the sender agrees to such.
How many beaches are unsafe in Texas in 2020?
At least five beaches from Galveston to Corpus Christi had more potentially "unsafe" contamination days in 2020 than safe ones. About 10 beaches that were tested along the Gulf, and a few, including the Houston area's Trinity Bay, recorded between 45 and 60 percent "unsafe" days last year.
Which states have beaches with high fecal matter?
Other states with beaches that showed an usually high concentration of fecal matter included Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Ohio and Oregon. Rumper said an improvement to water infrastructure is needed because developers and urban sprawl has "paved over so much of the landscape that when we have heavy rains, the water has nowhere to go.
How long does it take for a rash to appear after swimming in the ocean?
John Rumpler, Environment America's senior director of the group's clean water campaign, told CBS Dallas-Fort Worth on Monday that symptoms of nausea and skin rashes can appear 24 hours after swimming in such contaminated ocean or fresh waters.
Is the Gulf Coast unsafe?
U.S. Texas Gulf coast Sewage Runoff. Several beaches along Texas' Gulf Coast have "potentially unsafe" water quality , with much of the contamination stemming from fecal matter and sewage system runoff, an environmental report released this week found.
Is Texas beaches unsafe?
Texas beaches as a whole were mostly worse than the national average, with 82 percent of the 220 beaches tested in the state being listed as "potentially unsafe" on at least one day last year , according to the Environment America report.
Is swimming in contaminated water bad for you?
According to Texas public health officials, swimming in contaminated waters can cause serious illnesses, including gastrointestinal illness, respiratory disease, or ear and eye infections. Cole Park's beach tested positive for fecal contamination on 62 separate days in 2020, the highest of any location in Texas.
Is Cole Park in Corpus Christi unsafe?
Cole Park's beach in Corpus Christi and Sylvan Beach in La Porte were among some of the state's worst offenders where fecal matter contamination was deemed "unsafe" nearly 60 percent of the days they were tested in 2020. Texas beaches as a whole were mostly worse than the national average, with 82 percent of the 220 beaches tested in ...
Where is Quintana Beach in Texas?
Quintana Beach County Park is located in Texas at the beautiful coast of the Gulf of Mexico, near the Freeport Harbour Channel and within just a 15 minutes drive from the city of Freeport. Many people from the neighboring areas come to the beach to sunbathe, to go fishing or just to admire the beauty of the ocean.
What is the bacteria count at Jetty Park?
This is a fine recreation area where families with children and groups of young people love to spend their free time on warm days. Texas Beach Watch reports that enterococcus (fecal) bacteria counts near the Jetty Park are greater than 104cfu/100ml (last update: July 9th, 2019).
Is Quintana Beach swimable?
However, the beach is not as marvelous as it may seem from the first sight. According to the water research conducted by Texas Beach Watch, enterococcus (fecal) bacteria counts at Quintana Beach are greater than 104cfu/100ml (last update: July 7th, 2019). This means that swimming is not adivsable.
Where is the Texas City Dike?
Texas City Dike is a man-made water breaker reaching our from the mainland towards the channel between the Goat Island and Galveston. The place is famous for its mile-long beach which is a beloved place of rest among many Americans.
When to check water quality in Texas?
Swim Guide and Texas Beach Watch collect and test water samples every week from May to September and every other week in all the remaining months of the year. Water quality is subject to change over time, this is why it is highly advisable to check the beach water status on one of these websites (or, even better, on both of them) before visiting.
Where is Cole Park Beach in Corpus Christi?
Cole Park Beach located in Corpus Christi features many recreational facilities and is a beloved destination for tourists as well as locals. The park offers the opportunity of watching films and concerts in an outdoor amphitheater when the weather is fine.
Is the Texas City Dike Beach a swimming spot?
Bear in mind that the Dike is not an approved swimming spot.
What is the Galveston County Health District?
The Galveston County Health District (GCHD) participates in a federal program that tests hundreds of recreational swimming sites in the United States. The program, known as Texas Beach Watch in our state, tests for a bacterial indicator called Enterococcus. The bacteria is common in rain runoff and levels often spike after periods of heavy rain. GCHD routinely tests 52 beach sites through the program.
Is it safe to swim in water?
Swimming in natural bodies of water anywhere comes with risk. To reduce it, beachgoers with open cuts or sores, especially those with pre-existing conditions, should avoid swimming or check with their doctor first.
