California's iconic Santa Monica Pier may be a glamorous backdrop for tourists and television sets, but behind the picturesque scenes hides a dirty secret about the beach's cleanliness.
The famous Los Angeles beach ranked second in a new report analyzing bacterial pollution, trailing behind Playa Blanca beach, which is heavily impacted by transboundary wastewater flows.
Heal the Bay, an organization dedicated to making bacterial monitoring more accessible, identified the 10 worst beaches in California for chronic pollution.
The organization used data from county health departments to give each beach a letter grade, with the 10 worst beaches receiving an 'F.'
Following the Santa Monica Pier were six beaches in San Mateo County, many of which are in enclosed harbors, making it difficult for bacteria to circulate.
Southern California saw some of the largest declines in water quality due to increased rainfall and stormwater runoff.
Beaches located in urban areas are more vulnerable to pollution. Heal the Bay noted that freshwater quality was strongest in open spaces and declines as waterways moved through urban areas.
Many of the same pollution hotspots have been consistent year after year. The organization has been releasing an annual report card ranking California's beaches for 36 years.
The Santa Monica Pier ranked second in a new report's worst beaches to swim in due to exposure to pollution. Pictured above is a collection of trash found during a coastal cleanup on the beach in 2022
The beach is in an urban area and is exposed to bacterial contamination. Beachgoers are at risk of contracting illness due to the water's poor quality
Santa Monica Pier, pictured above, continues to rank among California's most polluted beaches. Heal the Bay, an organization dedicated to water quality transparency is working to identify major polluters in the area
The Santa Monica Pier has continued to rank among the worst beaches in California for water quality.
Heal the Bay has partnered with city officials to identify major sources of pollution that contribute to the iconic beach's bacterial contamination.
'We know what needs to be done,' Naomi Maurice, a water quality data analyst with Heal the Bay, told CBS News.
'We need to capture and clean stormwater before it reaches our waterways, we need to upgrade aging sewer infrastructure, and we need to invest in local strategies at chronic hotspots when needed, like what we are doing here with the Santa Monica Pier task force.'
The organization's CEO, Tracy Quinn, told the Santa Monica Daily Press that the beach report card is a reminder that poor water quality is a public health issue.
Beachgoers who swim in polluted water are exposed to a myriad of health concerns and can contract illnesses, including stomach flu, ear infections, upper respiratory infections and skin rashes.
To avoid contact with heavily polluted water, the city consistently updates a Beach Report Card so beachgoers can monitor safe swimming areas.
The Santa Monica Pier ranked second behind Playa Blanca beach on the coast of Tijuana, Baja California, pictured above. The beach is exposed to an on going transboundary wastewater crisis
Pictured above are Heal the Bay's 'Beach Bummer' list, including the California beaches with the worst water quality for the year
Pictured above are the beaches on Heal the Bay's 'Honor Roll' with the best water quality
Bluff Cove in Palos Verdes Estates, pictured above, was the highest-ranking beach in Los Angeles for water quality
Waiting at least three days after a storm to swim and staying at least 100 yards away from storm drains or enclosed beaches can also decrease the chances of contracting a bacterial-related illness.
Heal the Bay also released an 'Honor Roll' with the beaches that received an 'A+' for water quality. The top ranking spot went to Bluff Cove in Palos Verdes Estates, also in Los Angeles.
The rest of the Honor Roll beaches were located in Orange and San Diego counties. There was one beach in Santa Barbara that also received an A+.
These areas have better circulation and are more residential, so runoff pollution is less prevalent. To achieve Honor Roll status, beaches must receive A+ grades year-round.