Beach Blanket Bacteria

Updated by Paul McRandle on June 13, 2008

The dog days of summer are rolling in and your local beach may be the best place to cool off away from the heat of the city. But before you bodysurf on the swells, you'll want to be sure you'll leave as healthy as you entered.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council's (NRDC) most recent report on national water quality, 2006 saw more beach closures than any of the 17 years NRDC has been monitoring them. High levels of bacteria in water were the occasion for over 60 percent of those closures and advisories. A third were due to pollution carried by rainfall into swimming waters. Beach closures in 2007 saw no change from 2006 levels, according to the EPA.

The risks of bacteria in water range from the unpleasant, such as ear, nose and throat infections, to the serious-cholera, hepatitis and amoebic dysentery. Even beaches regarded as safe can hold startlingly high levels of bacteria, found Dr. Andrew Rogerson, who headed up an EPA study of Florida beach sand. Bacteria concentrates in sand as water rises and recedes with the tides, leaving both wet sand and the dry sand just beyond it more heavily contaminated than the water.

And be careful of the elements as well. Sunscreen and sun protective clothing will shield your skin (see "Summer Swimwear"). Check for undertow or riptide warnings and swim parallel to the shore if you intend to swim a long distance.

Pregnant women, children, the elderly and those with a weakened immune system need to be particularly diligent about checking for advisories, but everyone should follow these basic precautions at the beach:

* For recent beach closings and information on how to find out if your favorite swimming spot is currently home to unsafe levels of bacteria, see the EPA's Beach Advisory and Closing on-line Notification (BEACON) site and Earth911's Beach Water Quality pages. Beaches that aren't listed may not be monitored regularly.

* Swallowing water is the most frequent way swimmers are exposed to bacteria, so keep your head above the waves.

* Avoid swimming near flowing stormdrain outlets, outfalls or runoff ditches. A study of Santa Monica beaches found that swimmers near stormdrains had a 57 percent greater chance of fever than those swimming over 400 yards away.

* Don't swim alone and don't dive into water you haven't been in previously.

* Don't swim after a heavy rain or near trash.

* Keep an eye on the waves-don't be caught unawares by large ones.

* Shower after visiting the beach.

* Disinfect cuts or abrasions to avoid infection.

* Those with suppressed immune systems should be checked for cuts both before and after swimming.

To help preserve the health of our beaches:

* Some chemical preservatives and stabilizers in sunscreens can damage coral reefs. For reef-safe lotions, see our Sunscreen Buying Guide.

* To protect your beach, contact the Surfrider Foundation (www.surfrider.org).

* Since the stormwater runoff accounted for the majority of closures, support measures to reduce runoff in your community.