Midwesterners love our lakes. Whether you live along the shoreline or make a weekend of your beach trips, the Great Lakes provide summer fun. Unfortunately, water pollution at our beaches from bacteria can put swimmers at risk and ruin your day at the beach.
Great Lakes beaches are popular not just with locals but with tourists and other visitors – especially on hot summer days when we want to cool off. The lakes are destinations for swimming, fishing, and boating. They are used to support agriculture, shipping, and our daily lives as well as serve as a source of drinking water for 40 million people. The Great Lakes are part of what makes our region great.
People expect our beaches to be enjoyable spots to spend time in during the summer, but recent data shows that all too often their waters contain pollution that is potentially dangerous to our health. 71% of Great Lakes beaches were potentially unsafe for swimming at least one day in 2024. This finding from our latest Safe for Swimming? report highlights the need to reduce the pathogen pollution flowing into our precious lakes.
Safe for Swimming?
Katelynn Rolfes, Conservation Advocate, Environment Minnesota Policy & Research Center
“One of our most common phrases in the summer here in Minnesota is: ‘I’m going Up North for the weekend.’ Oftentimes, we are referring to The North Shore: Lake Superior. My childhood is filled with happy memories playing along the lakeside, throwing rocks and splashing in the cold water. The beaches of my childhood, like Park Point Beach near the Superior Lift Bridge, or Grand Marais Downtown beach, were unfortunately contaminated and unsafe for swimming at least one day in 2024, along with 45% of all beaches tested along the shores of Lake Superior. It’s time to invest in the future of our Great Lakes, invest in the crucial infrastructure that will make them safe for swimming, not just some days, but every day.”
Emily Kowalski, Outreach & Engagement Manager, Environment Illinois Research & Education Center
“In my opinion, a slice of watermelon tastes extra-summery with the lapping of waves on your feet. I love to head to Lake Michigan to celebrate birthdays, holidays or just the weekend in the summer, spending the day at North Ave beach reading, picnicking and taking a walk through the water to cool off. A day at the beach means spending time in the sun with friends and family, but unfortunately in 2024 100% of tested Lake Michigan beaches in Illinois had at least one day with potentially unsafe water contamination.
100%of tested IL beaches were potentially unsafe at least one day in 2024
We all want our water to be safe for swimming. Chicago has made progress in reducing sewage overflows. But as our report shows, there’s more work to be done across Lake Michigan communities in Illinois so our water is consistently clean. It’s time to dedicate the resources we need to achieve that vision.”
Check Chicago’s beach advisories before you swim
Clean water
Check Chicago’s beach advisories before you swim
Calvin Floyd, Conservation Advocate, Environment Michigan Research and Policy Center
“Sitting on the beach in South Haven or East Tawas, it can feel like the whole world is stretched out before you with seemingly endless water in front of you and blue skies above you. With more than 3,000 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, the Great Lakes are core to Michiganders’ cultural identity and sense of belonging. The Great Lakes are a great unifier, bringing all Michiganders together. When sewage, septic, or runoff pollution tarnish these cherished freshwater resources with harmful pathogens, many of us could be at risk of getting sick from being in the water. To ensure that future generations can enjoy these Great Lakes shorelines, it is crucial that we invest in critical water infrastructure to make all of our waters safe for swimming.”
Tips for a fun, healthy and sustainable day at the beach
Tips for a fun, healthy and sustainable day at the beach
The future of the Great Lakes can be safe for swimming
We love our lakes and the good news is that we can commit to making our beaches safe for swimming. Smart investments in nature-based solutions and repair of aging systems yield cleaner water and prevent some of the pollution that causes bacteria risks for swimmers. But such projects cost money.
If our officials truly prioritize clean water and invest in the solutions we need, Midwesterners will enjoy swimming, wading, boating and just splashing around at our beaches for generations to come. Tell your governor to make our beaches safe for swimming.
Tell Congress: Keep our beaches safe for swimming
Clean water
Tell Congress: Keep our beaches safe for swimming
We need Congress to renew the bipartisan BEACH Act to keep swimmers safe from pollution.
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Authors
Katelynn works at Environment Minnesota developing campaign strategies and building coalitions at the state, regional and federal level. Katelynn lives in the Twin Cities with her husband and two children. She enjoys skiing, biking and exploring all the beautiful trails Minnesota has to offer.
Emily manages the marketing and public engagement strategy for Environment Illinois’s campaigns, including our campaign to protect the Great Lakes from plastic pollution. Emily lives in Chicago where she enjoys knitting and biking.
Calvin is the Conservation Advocate for Environment Michigan. In this role, Calvin is the boots-on-the-ground presence in Michigan working to protect and restore the natural world. Calvin is a lifelong Michigander who currently lives in Ann Arbor. In his free time, he can be found fly fishing northern Michigan’s cold-water trout streams, paddling the kettle lakes of the Waterloo Recreation area, or catching a Tigers game.
