The annual Beach Report Card examines the amount of fecal pollution measured along the West Coast from Baja California to Washington. The Santa Monica Pier, north of Pico and south of Wilshire boulevards, remains the only Los Angeles County beach to make Heal the Bay's list despite recent infrastructure improvements.
For the 10th consecutive year, the area around the Santa Monica Pier was named one of California’s dirtiest beaches by researchers with the environmental nonprofit Heal the Bay For the 10th consecutive year, the area around the Santa Monica Pier was named one of California’s dirtiest beaches by researchers with the environmental nonprofit Heal the Bay.
Heal the Bay has partnered with Santa Monica to form a task force dedicated to determining the cause of the pollution.of plentiful sunshine may persuade many Southern Californians to strip down to their bathing suits — but researchers are warning of unsanitary waters at some local beaches. For the 10th consecutive year, the area around the Santa Monica Pier was named one of California’s dirtiest beaches by researchers with the environmental nonprofit Heal the Bay.
The annual Beach Report Card examines the amount of fecal pollution measured along the West Coast from Baja California all the way up to the state of Washington. Researchers test for fecal pollution because “even a single exposure can result in illness. ” Ailments include rashes, ear and upper respiratory infections and gastrointestinal illness, according to the report. Chief Executive Tracy Quinn said in a prepared statement.
“These findings are a reminder that water quality isn’t just a report, it’s a public health issue that affects every beachgoer and river user across California. ” An aerial view of 1000 Steps Beach, which made the honor roll in Heal the Bay’s annual report, in Laguna Beach.
Of the 490 beaches that Heal the Bay monitored between 2025 and 2026, the top 10 dirtiest also included six in San Mateo County, one in San Diego County and another in Humboldt County. The Santa Monica Pier, specially north of Pico and south of Wilshire boulevards, remains the only Los Angeles County beach to make Heal the Bay’s list despite the city’s recent infrastructure improvements.
The city of Santa Monica upgraded stormwater capture systems and installed bird-deterring netting in an effort to reduce pollution, according to the report.
“While many of these upgrades have aligned with temporary improvements to water quality, bacteria levels have increased,” the report states. “These persistent problems highlight the need for sustained investment and maintenance to improve the area’s environmental health,” the report states. The Times reached out to the city of Santa Monica for comment but did not receive a response before publication.
Heal the Bay said it has partnered with the city to form a task force dedicated to determining the cause of the reported pollution and informing future solutions for mitigating the problem. The task force — made up of government agencies, scientists, businesses and community members — has already started to analyze bacteria data over the last 20 years at the pier.
The task force hopes to uncover trends and better understand why the water continues to be contaminated in the area. Tourists wander on the Santa Monica Pier. The waters beneath the pier made Heal the Bay’s Beach Bummer List.
“However, bacteria levels have been on the rise since 2020, with monthly bacteria count averages reaching up to 20 times the safety thresholds in recent years,” according to the report. “These levels are much higher than seen prior to 2020, suggesting that a structural or environmental change occurred that has led to these increases in pollution. ”, Heal the Bay researchers will conduct microbial source testing to determine where exactly this pollution originates.
Through this specific bacteria testing, researchers can look at DNA composition to see whether the bacteria can be linked to specific sources such as humans, birds or dogs. Pillar Point Harbor, Capistrano Road Beach Clam Beach County Park at Strawberry Creek Out of 490 monitored beaches in the state, 21 earned a spot on Heal the Bay’s “honor roll,” a notable decrease from the 62 beaches on last year’s list.
Researchers say the lower number is probably attributable to the higher-than-average seasonal rainfall in Southern California, a region that has historically dominated the “honor roll” list. It should be noted that a majority of beaches on the list are in Southern California and that’s because Northern and Central California counties do not monitor water quality year-round.
Capistrano County Beach, South Capistrano Bay Huntington City Beach at Beach Boulevard Huntington Harbor Admiralty Drive Beach Cardiff State Beach, Seaside State Park The 21-beach honor roll includes 11 in San Diego County, eight in Orange County and one each in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties. Karen Garcia is a breaking news reporter at the Los Angeles Times. She was previously a reporter on the Utility Journalism Team, which focused on service journalism.
Her previous stints include reporting for the San Luis Obispo New Times and KCBX Central Coast Public Radio. Rebuilding L.A. : Recovery, From The People’s Perspective: ‘It’s About To Get A Lot Worse’ About 2 in 3 fire survivors are still displaced and, as coverage for temporary housing disappears, that number could get increase. In 2012, the judge presiding over Orange County’s worst mass-shooter case gave a seemingly simple order.
He told the Sheriff’s Department to reveal information about a mysterious jailhouse informant. In this specially released bonus episode, Madison McGhee and Jami Rice share some extremely opinionated opinions about everything from the Menendez Brothers to Jax Taylor.
California's Dirtiest Beaches Santa Monica Pier Heal The Bay Fecal Pollution Bacterial Contamination
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Largest fire ever recorded burns Santa Rosa Island, endangering 'gem of California coast'A wildfire sparked by the flare of a shipwrecked mariner has burned nearly a fifth of Santa Rosa Island and marks what officials called the largest blaze recorded on the island in modern history.
Read more »
Free and fun finale: ‘Locals' Night' wraps at Santa Monica Pier with tunes, carsThat’s a wrap, at least for this season: Savor live tunes, classic cars, and complimentary ice cream.
Read more »
Largest fire ever recorded on Santa Rosa Island endangers 'gem of California coast'A wildfire sparked by the flare of a shipwrecked mariner has burned nearly a fifth of Santa Rosa Island and marks what officials called the largest blaze recorded on the island in modern history.
Read more »
Conflicting visions for the future of Santa Monica AirportThe Santa Monica Airport, which has been in use for more than a century, is facing redevelopment. Proponents of turning it into a park argue for all 227 acres to be reserved for green space, but there are other visions for the future, aiming to use 25% of the land for affordable housing. These competing visions highlight tensions over creating more affordable housing in wealthy communities where high housing prices are a reality.
Read more »