One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Report: LA County has the Worst Water Quality, Again
Photo by nowhereonearth/LAist Featured Photos
Photo by nowhereonearth/LAist Featured Photos
LA County still has worst water quality in state and includes several sites on the top 10 "beach bummer" (i.e., worst beaches in the state) list in this year's Heal the Bay Beach Report Card. This comes as neighboring Orange and Ventura counties earn high grades for good water quality. "One of the reasons that Los Angeles County lags in water quality is the fact that its monitoring agencies collect samples directly in front of flowing stormdrains and creeks," Heal the Bay explains in a press release. "Monitoring at these 'point zero' locations, where polluted runoff often pools, is the best way to ensure that health risks to swimmers are captured in water quality data."
Still, many of the worst beaches are no where near storm drains including Avalon Harbor on Catalina Island, 23 miles off the coast. But there is some good news: the county had 13 beaches make the organizations honor roll for having "zero bacterial standards exceedances during dry weather." The state's worst beaches, seven of which that are local, and LA County's honor roll is listed below.
Top 10 Worst Beaches
1. Avalon Harbor Beach on Catalina Island (Los Angeles County)
2. Cabrillo Beach harborside (Los Angeles County)
3. Pismo Beach Pier (San Luis Obispo County)
4. Colorado Lagoon (Los Angeles County)
5. Santa Monica Municipal Pier (Los Angeles County)
6. City of Long Beach at LA River outlet (Los Angeles County)
7. Poche Beach (Orange County)
8. Surfrider Beach at Malibu Creek (Los Angeles County)
9. Campbell Cove State Park Beach (Sonoma County)
10. Doheny Beach at San Juan Creek (Orange County)
LA County Beaches that made the Honor Roll
El Pescador State Beach, between Lachusa and Los Aliso creeks
Encinal Canyon at El Matador State Beach
Zuma Beach at Zuma Creek mouth
Pena Creek at Las Tunas County Beach
Will Rogers State Beach at 17200 PCH (1/4 mile east of Sunset drain)
North Westchester Storm Drain at Dockweiler State Beach
Dockweiler State Beach at Imperial Hwy drain
Manhattan State Beach at 40th Street
Manhattan Beach Pier drain
Malaga Cove, Palos Verdes Estates-weekly
Palos Verdes (Bluff) Cove, Palos Verdes Estates
Long Point, Rancho Palos Verdes
Portuguese Bend Cove, Rancho Palos Verdes
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
