California's beaches the cleanest water in years

California's beaches the cleanest water in years

Michael Short

Angella Miller goes to the Chicago river, between stones, Baker Beach, one of two beaches in San Francisco, which received top honors in the water quality study. Second of Ocean Beach.

dry weather, and more stringent rules to increase the water quality of beaches in the Bay Area in its purest level this year, a report released Thursday found.

Almost every beach in the Bay Area and throughout the country, and bacterial contamination was significantly lower than last year, according to the annual survey of 650 West Coast beaches at the High-Bay, Santa Monica environmental group.

“This is one of our best years yet,” said Amanda Griesbach, water quality scientist Heal Bay, which will meet their water quality control data on a weekly basis throughout the year along the California coast. “Especially in the summer coming, people should be happy that California beaches are clean.”

Six local beaches earned win, including four in San Mateo County and two in San Francisco: Sharp Park and Rockaway Beach in Pacifica, Montara State Beach, Half Moon Bay beach, dunes and ocean beaches, and Baker in San Francisco.

Almost all the beaches in the Bay Area earned a “good” or “very good” quality, including some of the past that are among the most contaminated, such as Baker Beach.

report examined the penetration of bacteria and contamination of coastal waters with sewage, industrial and urban runoff. More stringent state and federal standards for water treatment and pollution have led to fewer beach closures and generally cleaner water, according to a report.

Government tightens control

pubDate in recent years, the State Water Resources Control Board and its regional offices for enhanced control and increased performance of water treatment plants, refineries, factories and sewage treatment plants, said Tim Moran, a spokesman for State water board.

“This is an ongoing process. But we are trying to identify problems and intervene where we can,” he said.

can be difficult to maintain water quality in the years when the state budget cuts loom, Moran said.

The state is proposing to cut the budget for water quality monitoring of $ 1800000 to $ 1 million, for example, he said.

Not all the local beaches received the letter grades. Five beaches in San Mateo County, is listed as “bad”. These are: Pillar Point, Oyster Point in South San Francisco, and Aquatic Park, Lake Shore Park and Beach in San Mateo kiteboard

.

cause of “poor” ratings

All of these beaches, except kiteboard is closed and stagnant water, which is favorable to the bacteria, said Dean Peterson, San Mateo County director of environmental health.

“The City of San Mateo is aware of the problems and work to reduce the number of days, these beaches are highly familiar with the bacteria,” he said.

Pillar Point, San Mateo County Resource Conservation District study on pollution issues, and expects to publish its findings soon, Peterson said.

East Bay, Bay Heal looked at 10 sites, including the popular Crown Beach in Alameda and Keller Beach in Richmond. All sites received high marks.

Marin also appeared with the report of 23 beaches get top marks. Are among the cleanest Stinson, Rodeo and Muir beaches.

down Report

pubDate Go healthebay.org.

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