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Thinkstock1 of 23
Could a quick dip at your favorite beach this summer make you ill?
The Natural Resources Defense Council released its annual analysis of water quality and public notification data at U.S. beaches this week. It turns out 2011 wasn't a banner year for water quality. Beach closing and advisory days reached the third-highest level in the 22-year history of the report, totaling 23,481 days. Two-thirds of all beach closures were the result of bacteria levels that exceeded public health standards. The most common culprit? Stormwater runoff.
Experts believe millions of people are sickened by contaminated water each year. Illnesses can range from respiratory infections and stomach flu to meningitis and hepatitis.
Click through to see the 12 superstar beaches that have low violation rates and strong testing and safety practices. Then keep clicking to see 10 of the nation's dirtiest beaches, repeat offenders that have had consistent contamination problems.
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John W. Tuggle via Flickr2 of 23
Superstar: Gulf Shores Public Beach, Ala.
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faungg via Flickr3 of 23
Superstar: Gulf State Park Pavilion, Ala.
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JeffreyTurner via Flickr4 of 23
Superstar: Bolsa Chica State Beach, Calif.
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JP<3! via Flickr5 of 23
Superstar: Huntington State Beach, Calif.
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YoTuT via Flickr6 of 23
Superstar: Newport Beach, Calif.
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Lee Cannon via Flickr7 of 23
Superstar: Dewey Beach, Del.
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Bernt Rostad via Flickr8 of 23
Superstar: Ocean City at Beach 6, Md.
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Bernt Rostad via Flickr9 of 23
Superstar: Park Point Franklin Park / 13th Street South Beach, Minn.
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SONY DSC10 of 23
Superstar: Park Point Lafayette Community Club Beach, Minn.
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rickpilot_2000 via Flickr11 of 23
Superstar: Hampton Beach State Park, N.H.
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Thinkstock12 of 23
Superstar: South Padre Island, Texas
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Courtesy of WMUR.com13 of 23
Superstar: Wallis Sands Beach, N.H.
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yourBuddyBill via Flickr14 of 23
Now, those beaches that have had consistent contamination problems.
Repeat offender: Avalon Beach, Calif.
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AP15 of 23
Repeat offender: Doheny State Beach, Calif.
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Dan Mullen via Flickr16 of 23
Repeat offender: South Shore Beach, Wisc.
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Repeat offender: Euclid State Park, Ohio
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Sarabeephoto via Flickr18 of 23
Repeat offender: Winnetka Elder Park Beach, Ill.
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Doug Kerr via Flickr19 of 23
Repeat offender: Ontario Beach, N.Y.
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~Sage~ via Flickr20 of 23
Repeat offender: Woodlawn Beach, N.Y.
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Google Maps21 of 23
Repeat offender: North Point Marina Beach, Ill.
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NRDC22 of 23
Repeat offender: Villa Angela State Park, Ohio
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Kelly Schott via Flickr23 of 23Next: 16 Songs for Scorching Summer Heat
Repeat offender: Beachwood Beach West, N.J.
Photo: Nearby Point Pleasant Beach, N.J.
If your favorite beach wasn't here, visit the NRDC website, where you can search beaches by zip code.
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6 Comments
Just last month a report was out praising the beaches here along the Lake Erie shores--- Now this report claims they are the dirtiest in the country.. All this hyperbole- what the hell can you believe in the news reports. The mis-information is so bad.
July 02 2012 at 4:00 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyWhen it comes to environmental news, most of it is just hype for wacked out theories and for scamming money.
Examples are global warming..... Just look at the weather reports on a daily basis, on your tv station, and listen when they talk about temperature records. Most daily temperatures are not being broken when compared, on a daily basis, with records kept 100 years ago..
I knew Doheney would make the list of dirty beaches. It has a faint scent of ''slightly-off-peaches and cat urine.'' Still more picturesque than the ''beaches'' from landlocked states, but at least you can swim in those.
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July 02 2012 at 4:05 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI live near Daytona.Went in the ocean 2day.Clear water 82 temp.Drive on the beach,park and its the best
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July 02 2012 at 9:02 AM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down Reply------------------------------------------------------------------
I GREW UP AS A KID . WE WERE THE LAST HOUSE B 4 U HIT THE OCEAN , THAT WAS UNTIL 3 HOMES WERE SQUEEZED IN RIGHT NEXT 2 US , THEN THE STORM IN THE EARLY 60'S SWEPT THEM ALL OUT 2 SEA . 1 DOESN'T MESS WITH MOTHER NATURE !
what a poop, 2 paragraphs, no facts, and 20+ pictures of beaches?????????
July 02 2012 at 7:44 AM Report abuse Permalink +3 rate up rate down ReplyHey, @bandman45 ... yes there is a "Villa Angela State Park.
July 01 2012 at 1:16 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyTry this: http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/clevelkf/tabid/721/Default.aspx
Or this: http://publicapps.odh.ohio.gov/BeachGuardPublic/BeachDetail.aspx?BeachID=166
THIS LOOKS SO MUCH LIKE THE BEACH ON LONG BEACH ISLAND WHERE I GREW UP AS A KID . WE WERE THE LAST HOUSE B 4 U HIT THE OCEAN , THAT WAS UNTIL 3 HOMES WERE SQUEEZED IN RIGHT NEXT 2 US , THEN THE STORM IN THE EARLY 60'S SWEPT THEM ALL OUT 2 SEA . 1 DOESN'T MESS WITH MOTHER NATURE !
June 30 2012 at 7:32 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down ReplyWell bandman45 from Ohio, ever been to Cleveland, Ohio? I'd start looking there!!
June 30 2012 at 2:20 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply