Where are the most polluted beaches in California? 3 popular spots made the list
California is home to three of the most bacteria-ridden beaches in the country, according to the Surfrider Foundation.
The nonprofit organization recently released its 2024 Clean Water Report to “build awareness of issues that affect water quality and your health at the beach.”
The report, published May 20, pinpoints 10 beaches across the United States and Puerto Rico where high bacteria levels consistently exceed state health standards and could put public health at risk.
The Surfrider Foundation tested more than 600 sites across the nation, with 80% of samples yielding “at least one high bacteria result that exceeded state health standards,” according to the report.
Three popular California beaches landed on Surfrider’s list of 2024 Beach Bacteria Hot Spots, including sandy spots in San Luis Obispo County and the San Diego area, according to the report.
“The ultimate goal is to use (Surfrider Foundation’s) Blue Water Task Force data to find and fix the sources of pollution and prioritize local efforts to restore clean water locally,” the nonprofit said in the report.
Which California beaches have highest bacteria levels?
According to the Clean Water Report, Surfrider Foundation chapters measured high bacteria levels in 2024 at three sampling sites across California.
At these bacteria hotspots, the foundation consistently measured levels of high bacteria that exceeded state health standards for recreational waters, the report said.
At Imperial Beach in San Diego County, 82% of samples failed to meet state standards due to “transboundary flows of stormwater, sewage and industrial pollution through the Tijuana River Valley,” according to the report.
Of the samples collected at Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica, 71% tested high for bacteria.
The mouth of San Luis Obispo Creek in Avila Beach also landed on the list of the 10 most bacteria-ridden beaches in the country, with 38% of samples containing high bacteria levels.
“That means more than one in every three samples collected fail to meet safe swimming standards at this popular spot for children to play, paddle and splash around in the water,” the Surfrider Foundation said.
Where are most polluted beaches in US?
According to the Surfrider Foundation, these were the 10 most polluted beaches in the United States and Puerto Rico, based on the percentage of samples that tested high for bacteria in 2024:
- Windmill Beach in Sag Harbor, New York: 43% of samples
- Ballard Park in Melbourne Florida: 52%
- Park View Kayak Launch in Miami Beach, Florida: 90%
- Playa Crashboat in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico: 23%
- South Sound Thea Foss Floating Dock in Tacoma, Washington: 64%
- Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica: 71%
- San Luis Creek Mouth in Avila Beach: 38%
- Imperial Beach in San Diego: 82%
Kahalu’u in Oahu, Hawaii: 92%
Waikomo Stream at Koloa Landing in Kauai, Hawaii: 90%
How were beach waters tested?
A total of 60 Blue Water Task Force labs processed 10,120 water samples collected from 604 distinct sampling sites in 2024, the Surfrider Foundation said.
Of those sampling sites, 483 yielded at least one high bacteria result that exceeded state health standards, the foundation said.
“This shows the importance of regular water quality monitoring at the beach to protect public health and safe recreation,” the Surfrider Foundation said.
This story was originally published May 31, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Where are the most polluted beaches in California? 3 popular spots made the list."
