As the summer heat ramps up, Washington’s beachgoers are more inclined to take a trip to the beach for a swim, but recent findings suggest that a beach day may not be safe.
A new study from Environment America Research and Policy Center (EARPC) found that roughly 76% of Washington’s beaches recorded at least one day with unsafe fecal contamination in 2024.
Washington’s contaminated beaches
A total of 63 beaches were tested for fecal indicator bacteria, and 48 beaches in Washington recorded potentially unsafe levels of fecal indicator bacteria in 2024.
Additionally, 19 of the beaches tested in 2024 had potentially unsafe levels of bacteria on at least 25% of all days they were tested. Earlier this year, numerous King County beaches recorded high contamination levels, which included Madison Park, Madrona Park, Matthews Beach, and Mt. Baker Beach…