Community Corner
How Clean Is Your Favorite Beach?
The Natural Resources Defense Council recently rated 200 popular beaches in the United States. How clean is the water at your favorite beach?
Before you dip your toes in the surf, do you take time to consider whether or not the water at your favorite beach is actually clean?
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) recently rated 200 popular beaches in the United States in terms of water pollution that could put beachgoers and swimmers at risk.
The beaches were rated on a number of criteria including how often the water was tested, how promptly the public is notified when tests show bacteria levels violate health standards and how closing and advisories are posted online and at the beach. Beaches were given ratings of one to five stars with five stars being the best rating.
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No Georgia beaches received five-star ratings, but three (Tybee Island North, Tybee Island Strand and East Beach Old Coast Guard - St. Simons Island) each received a four-star rating.
Dacula beachgoers wanting to visit the nearest five-star beach would need to drive 384 miles to Gulf Shores Public Beach or Gulf State Park Pavilion in Alabama. No Florida or South Carolina beaches received five-star ratings.
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While Florida is a popular beach vacation destination, many of the Sunshine State's beaches received a very low one-star rating. Those beaches include the Dixie Belle and Monument Beaches at St. Joe Beach in Gulf County; seven beaches at the Gulf Beaches of Tampa Bay in Hillsborough County; Navarre Park Beach in Santa Rosa County and Venice Public Beach in Sarasota County. Three South Carolina beaches in Horry County -- including Myrtle Beach State Park And Campgrounds -- also received a one-star rating.
Of the Florida and South Carolina beaches receiving one-star ratings, Ben T. Davis North at the Gulf Beaches of Tampa Bay was the worst offender with 19.6 percent of collected samples failing to meet specified beachwater standards.
For more information on finding a clean beach for your next vacation, visit the Natural Resources Defense Council website.
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