Nearly 8 out of 10 monitored beaches in Washington recorded at least one day of potentially unsafe levels of fecal bacteria in 2024, according to a national report from Environment America.
The report found that 48 of the 63 Washington beaches tested—about 76%—had at least one sample exceed the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Beach Action Value.”
That threshold is used by states as a precautionary measure to determine whether water pollution poses a health risk to swimmers.
More concerning, 19 beaches across the state—30% of those tested—had potentially unsafe contamination on at least a quarter of all testing days.
Several popular sites in Puget Sound were among the most frequently contaminated. In Pierce County, Titlow Park saw unsafe levels on 11 of 17 days tested, or 65% of the time.
Larrabee State Park’s Wildcat Cove in Whatcom County had high contamination levels on 10 of its 16 test days (63%).
In Kitsap County, Pomeroy Park at Manchester Beach tested above safety thresholds on 10 of 21 days (48%).
Nearby Silverdale Waterfront Park exceeded the limit on 6 of 16 days (38%).
Seattle’s Richey Viewpoint in King County registered contamination on 6 out of 10 days (60%).
Squaxin Park in Olympia had five unsafe days out of 14 tested (36%).
Fecal contamination typically stems from polluted runoff, sewage overflows, and waste from factory farms.
These pollutants can carry dangerous bacteria and viruses that put beachgoers at risk of illnesses like stomach flu, ear infections, or skin rashes.
Nationwide, 1,930 of 3,187 monitored beaches (61%) had at least one day in 2024 with contamination levels high enough to potentially threaten public health, according to the report.
About one in seven U.S. beaches had unsafe bacteria levels on at least 25% of their testing days.
The findings raise ongoing concerns about how stormwater runoff, infrastructure failures, and agricultural pollution continue to impact recreational waters across the country—even in coastal areas that draw thousands of visitors each year.
Environment America urged stronger policies to curb pollution, including better management of stormwater and agriculture runoff, investments in sewage system upgrades, and more frequent beach water quality testing.
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