Annual Beaches Report Finds Water Quality Lacking Along U.S. Shores

June 27th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

WEDNESDAY, June 27 (HealthDay News) — If you’re headed to the
seashore this summer, the last thing you want to hear is that you and your
family could bring home a nasty disease after taking a dip in the
ocean.

But, the nation’s beaches continue to put swimmers at risk for catching
a variety of bacterial and viral illnesses, according to a report released
Wednesday by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

The report found that the number of beach closings and official
advisories about polluted water at coastal U.S. beaches in 2011 reached
the third-highest level in two decades. More than two-thirds of the
closings and advisories were due to bacterial levels in the water that
exceeded public health standards.

“Beaches can make you sick,” said Steve Fleischli, water program
director at the NRDC. The biggest causes of contamination are human and
animal waste, largely from sewage brought to the sea through storm water
run-off, he noted.

Fleischli said those at greater risk of contracting a sea-borne illness
at the beach are people with weakened immune systems and small children
who are more likely to ingest water while swimming.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that up to 3.5
million people become ill from contact with raw sewage from sewer
overflows each year, which typically occur after a period of intense
rain.

Beach water pollution can cause a range of illnesses in swimmers
including diarrhea, skin rashes, conjunctivitis (“pinkeye”); ear, nose and
throat problems; hepatitis; respiratory ailments; neurological disorders;
and other serious health problems, according to the NRDC.

Ratings based on indicators of beach water quality, monitoring
frequency and public notification systems were issued by the NRDC to 200
popular beaches in the country. Twelve beaches got a five-star rating,
including Newport Beach in California and Wallis Sands Beach in New
Hampshire. At the other end of the spectrum were the worst beaches, which
included Avalon Beach and Doheny State Beach, both in California.

This year’s report found water quality at the nation’s beaches was
stable, with 8 percent of water samples violating public health standards
in 2011, as in 2010. The only inland beaches included in the report were
the Great Lakes, which had the highest violation rate of the public health
standards: 11 percent of the samples were below par.

Fleischli said budget shortfalls have caused some states to cut back on
regular beach water testing and federal monies may be reduced soon.
Without such testing, and subsequent online and site notifications of any
problems, people are unaware of the risks.

Jon Devine, senior attorney of the water program at the NRDC, said
there are several causes of contamination. “There are a number of reasons
a beach may have a high rate of violation,” he explained. “Geography,
proximity to sources of pollution, such as storm water outfalls, and even
frequent testing,” which, although desirable for the public, can make a
beach look less attractive for swimming than another that simply checks
the water less often.

The NRDC is pressing the EPA to reconsider its proposed recommended
standards for beach water quality, which it says are too lenient. It also
is urging the EPA to reform and better enforce national requirements about
sources of polluted storm water.

What can families do to stay healthy while swimming at the beach?
Devine suggested selecting beaches with frequent water testing programs.
“Stay out of the water when advisories are in effect or after heavy
rains,” he said.

Devine also encouraged people to be good stewards of the beach
environment: “Don’t feed wildlife, and clean up after your pet. If you’re
a boater, don’t dump sewage in the ocean.”

More information

Check the water at your favorite beach by going to the Natural Resources Defense
Council.