WASHINGTON – Sewage pollution may put families and water athletes at risk when they head to the beach this summer, found a report released on July 8th. In 2024, 453 of U.S. coastal and Great Lakes beaches were potentially unsafe for swimming on at least 25 percent of days tested, according to the latest Safe for Swimming? report by Environment America Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group. The new research comes as Congress considers funding for the main federal program to stop sewer overflows.
“There’s nothing better than running into the water with your friends and family on a hot day in summer, but too often, our favorite beaches aren’t safe for swimming,” said Lisa Frank, executive director of Environment America. “Keeping sewage pollution out of our waterways isn’t rocket science, but it’s clear more investment is needed to protect our health.”
More than half of the 3,187 coastal and Great Lakes beaches exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) most protective “Beach Action Value,” which is associated with an estimated illness rate of 32 out of every 1,000 swimmers, on at least one day they were tested in 2024. Members of Congress are working to reauthorize and expand water quality testing by enacting the bipartisan BEACH Act of 2025.
“Growing up on the shores of Lake Erie, I’ve always had a deep appreciation for our beaches. These natural wonders are invaluable sources of recreation and economic drivers for our communities, but pollution and contamination threaten to make them too dangerous for the public,” said U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce of Ohio. “I urge Congress to swiftly pass the BEACH Act, which will ensure that our beaches and the surrounding waters remain safe for future generations.”
The Senate version of the BEACH Act was introduced by Ron Wyden and Thom Tillis.
“Oregonians know our coastlines are one-of-a-kind treasures where residents and visitors alike can live, play, and work right next to the Pacific Ocean,” U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden said. “Yet, pollution is a glaring issue that keeps repeatedly showing up on our shores and threatening the Oregon Way. This bipartisan legislation would ensure beaches in Oregon and all across our country are kept clean and safe for generations to come.”
Beach pollution problems are widespread. The Beach Action Value was exceeded on at least one testing day at:
- 54 percent of East Coast beaches
- 71 percent of Great Lakes beaches
- 84 percent of Gulf Coast beaches
- 79 percent of West Coast beaches
“The BEACH Act is a smart investment in protecting public health, economic health, and the health of our waterways. It ensures people are informed when temporary beach closures are warranted and provides policymakers with the data needed to ensure sound management,” said U.S. Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Environment, which oversees federal BEACH Act funding. Reed and his fellow appropriators helped make $9.7 million in BEACH grant funding for water quality monitoring at coastal and Great Lakes beaches in 2025. “Clean, safe beaches are an economic and environmental imperative. I oppose attempts to eliminate BEACH grants and clean water infrastructure funds. Fixing and updating water systems isn’t cheap or easy. But it’s absolutely essential to public health, environmental health, and America’s economic well-being.”
Sewer spills and runoff pollution are common sources of fecal matter in America’s waterways. Scientists estimate 57 million instances of people getting sick each year from swimming in polluted waters in the United States. Those illnesses can include nausea, diarrhea, ear infections and rashes.
“As a Division-1 rower, being able to train on a waterway without fear of exposure to nasty bacteria is vital to my well-being,” said Jordan Stock, a student athlete at Stanford University. “I should not have to risk my health to practice the sport that I love. From competitive water athletes like myself, to the local businesses sustained by beach tourism and clean water, to casual swimmers, surfers and sailors, this issue affects everyone.”
Advocates are calling for major investments to stop sewage overflows and runoff pollution, including canvassing in Washington, D.C. where it is currently illegal to swim in many local waterways due to pollution. Nature-based solutions such as vegetated buffers, rain barrels and constructed wetlands, and repair of aging systems, all yield cleaner water.
“U.S. beaches, including in my home state of New Jersey, are the best in the world and drive powerful local economies. We need to keep this success going by continuing to invest in water quality monitoring grants and by reauthorizing the EPA BEACH Act program,” said U.S. Rep Frank Pallone. “As Environment America’s important new report shows, BEACH Act grants are key to keeping Americans healthy and beach economies thriving.”
Based on its survey of the states, the EPA estimates that managing our nation’s wastewater and stormwater will require at least $630 billion over the next 20 years. Yet the Clean Water State Revolving Fund is currently funded at less than 20 percent of that annual cost, and Congress could cut that funding even further.
“Making our waterways safe for swimming is a goal all Americans can unite behind,” added Lisa Frank. “Congress must commit the resources necessary to help states and communities keep sewage away from the beaches we love.”
