One of the most polluted waterways in the US is in WA. Here’s where
Washington is home to one of the most bacteria-ridden beaches in the country, according to the Surfrider Foundation.
The nonprofit organization recently released its 2024 Clean Water Report to “build awareness of issues that affect water quality and your health at the beach.”
The report, published on May 20, pinpoints 10 beaches across the United States and Puerto Rico where high bacteria levels consistently exceed state health standards and could put public health at risk.
The Surfrider Foundation tested more than 600 sites across the nation, with 80% of samples yielding “at least one high bacteria result that exceeded state health standards,” according to the report.
One urban waterway in Tacoma landed on Surfrider’s list of 2024 Beach Bacteria Hot Spots: Thea Foss. It had a 64% rate of unhealthy levels of bacteria detected.
The location also made the hot-spot list last year.
Across the state, testing took place 41 times in the Northwest Straits, 94 times in the South Sound and 46 times in Olympia.
“The ultimate goal is to use (Surfrider Foundation’s) Blue Water Task Force data to find and fix the sources of pollution and prioritize local efforts to restore clean water locally,” the nonprofit notes in a statement about the report.
Which beaches have high bacteria levels?
According to the Clean Water Report, Surfrider Foundation chapters measured high bacteria levels in 2024 at multiple sampling sites across the United States.
At these bacteria hot spots, the foundation consistently measured levels of high bacteria that exceeded state health standards for recreational waters, the report said.
“That means more than one in every three samples collected fail to meet safe swimming standards at this popular spot for children to play, paddle and splash around in the water,” the Surfrider Foundation report notes.
Surfrider Foundation’s Blue Water Task Force provides interactive data of testing sites in Washington. Testing locations, with updates through May 2025, include:
- Olympia - Squaxin Park
- Steilacoom - Sunnyside Beach
- Tacoma - Titlow Beach
- Tacoma - Thea Foss Floating Dock
- Tacoma - Jack Hyde Park
- Tacoma - Lee Davis Dive Steps
- Point Defiance - Owen Beach
- Gig Harbor - Jerisich Dock
- Dash Point - Dash Point State Park
Farther north, the Northwest Straits Blue Water Task Force tests waterways in the Bellingham and Whatcom County region. In the last year, three locations there have tested positive for “high” rates of bacteria that exceed Washington state health safety standards.
Those locations include:
- Fairhaven - Padden Creek Mouth 1
- Bellingham - Locust Beach 2
- Bellingham - Locust Beach 3
No locations in eastern Washington were tested.
If you don’t see your beach on the list, you can check Washington’s beach status tool through the Department of Ecology for information on specific beaches that are monitored by the state.
Most polluted beaches in America?
According to the Surfrider Foundation, these were the 10 most polluted beaches in the United States and Puerto Rico, based on the percentage of samples that tested high for bacteria in 2024:
- Windmill Beach in Sag Harbor, New York: 43% of samples
- Ballard Park in Melbourne, Florida: 52%
- Park View Kayak Launch in Miami Beach, Florida: 90%
- Playa Crashboat in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico: 23%
- South Sound Thea Foss Floating Dock in Tacoma, Washington: 64%
- Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica: 71%
- San Luis Creek Mouth in Avila Beach: 38%
- Imperial Beach in San Diego: 82%
Kahalu’u in Oahu, Hawai’i: 92%
Waikomo Stream at Koloa Landing in Kauai, Hawai’i: 90%
How were beach waters tested?
A total of 60 Blue Water Task Force labs processed 10,120 water samples collected from 604 distinct sampling sites in 2024, the Surfrider Foundation said.
Of those sampling sites, 483 yielded at least one high bacteria result that exceeded state health standards.
“This shows the importance of regular water quality monitoring at the beach to protect public health and safe recreation,” the Surfrider Foundation report notes.
Fresno Bee reporter Hannah Poukish contributed to this story.
This story was originally published June 5, 2025 at 5:00 AM.