Report Says Beachwood Has New Jersey's Dirtiest Beach

BEACHWOOD, NJ — Plenty of summer days remain, but a new report finds that some local beaches may not always safe for swimming and the filthy waters can lead to illness.

Looking at bacteria sampling data collected by authorities in 29 states and Puerto Rico, the report authors found that more than half the beaches tested were potentially unsafe for swimming on at least one day in 2018. The analysis also showed that 610 beaches were potentially unsafe on 25 percent of the days they were tested for bacteria.

A sampling site at Beachwood Beach West tested as potentially unsafe for 14 days — more days than any other site in the state — and 64 percent of the days that sampling took place.

Beaches cited in the report posed a swimming risk if the bacteria samples exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Beach Action Value,” which is a stricter threshold than recommended by the agency for recreational water. The “Beach Action Value” used in the report corresponds to an estimated 32 illnesses for every 1,000 swimmers. One of the report’s recommendations to make beaches safer is to use the stricter EPA standard for making decisions on advisories and closures.

Here are the average percentages of potentially unsafe sampling days in 2018 for beaches in New Jersey counties:

1. Monmouth County 9%
2. Ocean County 9%
3. Atlantic County 4%
4. Cape May County 2%

The report notes that beaches cannot be compared to each other since the testing takes place on different schedules and at different frequencies.

To make waters safer for swimming, the report says pollution from urban runoff, sewage and manure needs to be curtailed.

Read the full report from the Environment America Research & Policy Center.

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