GALVESTON, Texas – The beach is a great place to beat the heat, but across the country and especially in Texas, beaches are contaminated with pollutants - like fecal contamination.
According to a new study by Environment America in 2022, approximately 55% of beaches nationwide experienced at least one day with unsafe levels of contamination.
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When you look at the Texas coastline, in 2022 it was 90%.
Read the full report here: Resources for safe swimming
How to check beach levels
Texas Beach Watch provides an interactive map for people to check out the current conditions at the beach before heading out.
About Texas Beach Watch
The Galveston County Health District (GCHD) participates in a federal program that tests hundreds of recreational swimming sites in the United States. The program, known as Texas Beach Watch in our state, tests for a bacterial indicator called Enterococcus. The bacteria is common in rain runoff and levels often spike after periods of heavy rain. GCHD routinely tests 52 beach sites through the program.
When a sample shows the level of Enterococcus above the EPA standard for safe swimming, an advisory is issued for the beach corresponding to that testing site. Sites with elevated levels are tested daily until the level comes down, which typically takes approximately 48 hours. Galveston County advisories are indicated with a sign on the beach and online at TexasBeachWatch.com and www.gchd.org.
When an advisory is issued, the affected beach is not closed. An advisory is issued to inform the public of the elevated bacteria level so people can make an informed choice about swimming in the affected waters. Avoiding advisories is as simple as moving to a beach a few blocks away from those affected.
Precautions
People with diabetes, liver disease, cancer or other immune suppressing conditions who swim in natural bodies of water with open cuts or sores are at an increased risk for infection, according to GCHD. Healthy people are extraordinarily less likely to get an infection than the ill.
Swimming in natural bodies of water anywhere comes with risk. To reduce it, beachgoers with open cuts or sores, especially those with pre-existing conditions, should avoid swimming or check with their doctor first.
People who suffer cuts while in natural bodies of water anywhere should immediately leave the water, thoroughly clean the wound and do not return until the wound heals. It’s important to keep an eye on the area for infection or swelling. If either occur, medical attention should be obtained immediately.