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With the beach season in full swing, a new report indicates that the majority of beachgoers in NYS are at serious risk. The water at NYS beaches was unsafe for swimming last year, according to the 18th annual beach water quality report released today by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). New York ranks the eighth worst in the nation in the percent of days that exceed health standards, up to eleven percent in 2007 from nine percent in 2006. For the full report, go to http://www.nrdc.org/water/oceans/ttw/titinx.asp.
Using the latest data from the U.S. EPA, the report, “Testing the Waters: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches,” shows NYS beaches had 1,547 closing and advisory days in 2007, an increase of 21% from 2006 to 2007. Sources of contamination are primarily stormwater run-off (70%) and sewage contamination (19%).
“Families can’t enjoy their local beaches because of the health dangers to kids and adults alike. The pollution is largely because of human and animal waste in the water,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “We are calling on our elected officials to address the sources of contamination that are fouling our beaches and harming our local economies by requiring rapid beach testing to protect public health.”
Ontario Beach in Monroe County was the worst for Lake Ontario with closings 37% of beach days. Monroe County came in second (23%) in the state for highest number of beach closings and Wayne County came in fourth (15%). Jefferson County had the fewest beach closings of the reported numbers.
“The economic and public health incentive to repair New York State’s failing infrastructure is clear. Recreation in the Great Lakes is vital to our region’s economic health, and this report confirms that we are allowing our greatest natural resource to fall into serious disrepair,” said Brian Smith, WNY Program Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “Fortunately, we have solutions to these problems, and we must implement them, before the problems get worse, and the solutions more costly.”
Aging and poorly designed sewage and storm water systems hold much of the blame for beach water pollution. In March, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation released a report conservatively assessing the state’s wastewater infrastructure needs at $36.2 billion over 20 years.
Not only are the beaches polluted, the way they are tested is also failing the American public, according to NRDC public health and water experts. Beach water quality standards are more than 20 years old and rely on outdated science and monitoring methods that leave beachgoers vulnerable to a range of waterborne illnesses including gastroenteritis, dysentery, hepatitis, respiratory ailments and other serious health problems. For senior citizens, small children, and people with weak immune systems, the results can be fatal.
“What this report means for families heading to the beach is they need to be careful and do a little homework,” said Nancy Stoner, director of NRDC’s Clean Water Project. “They need to call their local public health authority and ask them if the beachwater is safe for swimming. If there is any doubt, or if the water smells bad or looks dirty, stay out of it.”
Beach Protection Act bills now pending in Congress would provide money for beachwater sampling and require use of faster testing methods so people get timely information about whether it is safe to swim.
NRDC is also offering beachgoers an opportunity to discuss their personal favorite beaches. To post a comment, visit NRDC’s Your Oceans website –www.youroceans.org, where you also will find fun summer tips for having a safe and healthy time at the beach this summer season.
From sea to shining sea, enjoying a day at the beach is as American as Lady Liberty and apple pie,” said Dereth Glance, Executive Program Director for Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “Congress must reauthorize the BEACH act to give children of all ages clean water and clean beaches,” Glance concluded
Find the entire report at http://www.nrdc.org/water/oceans/ttw/titinx.asp
Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) is an 80,000 member, non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization working to protect public health and the natural environment in New York and Connecticut. www.citizenscampaign.org
The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, nonprofit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has 1.2 million members and online activists, served from offices in New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Beijing.
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