Photo: Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
When it comes to water quality, surfers and swimmers wade in the depths of danger due to bacteria, sewage, runoff, and all sorts of nasty stuff that can creep into the body. And a lot of times, these beachgoers might not even know that the water is, in fact, toxic.
For example, according to a recent study from the Surfrider Foundation, one southern California beach is home to the nation’s highest level of bacteria. Which beach? Imperial Beach, the southernmost beach town in the state, and neighbor of Tijuana, Mexico.
100% of samples collected in 2023 from Imperial Beach came back with high bacteria levels, the study found.
“Two BWTF [Blue Water Task Force] sampling sites have the dubious distinction of failing to meet health standards every single time they were tested by Surfrider in 2023,” the full report reads. “The San Diego Chapter collects samples near the pier in Imperial Beach, California, close to the U. S./Mexico border.”
And this problem is nowhere new for Imperial Beach; it’s been ongoing pretty much since testing begun. Last year, especially, the water was closed to the public due to high bacteria levels at a staggering rate. The Surfrider report continued:
“Local health authorities closed this Pacific Ocean beach to swimming for 322 days in 2023 to protect the public from exposure to sewage-related pathogens. Unfortunately, these closures don’t fully prevent people from getting sick as some toxins are aerosolizing and contaminating the air in Imperial Beach and other nearby border communities.”
Related: Study Shows Ocean May Be Spitting Toxins Back at Us
So, what happens when a surfer or swimmer comes in contact with toxic waters? Well, there’s a lot of potentials. According to Surfrider’s Beachapedia, health effects include relatively minor discomforts like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomachache, fever, and ear/nose/throat/infections; then, there’s the more serious stuff, like hepatitis.
Stay safe out there. For live updates, check this handy San Diego water quality map.
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