pmc editorial manager
Santa Monica beachgoers hit by heat wave, bacteria levels in water soar
Heal the Bay's annual Beach Report Card, which grades waters from A to F based on the level of bacterial contamination, has placed the iconic Santa Monica Pier and Mother's Beach among the top ten most polluted beach waters.
Santa Monica Pier is plagued by nesting bird droppings and municipal sewage, ranking third on the list. Mother's Beach suffers from very poor water circulation, leading to chronic bacterial excesses, ranking ninth.
The report assesses 700 beaches along the Pacific coast from Washington to Baja. This year, we saw an overall decline in quality across the state, attributed to winter storm runoff.
