There are miles of beaches and canals in Miami-Dade County and South Florida, and while most provide endless hours of swimming, kayaking and boating fun for residents and visitors alike, there are some bacteria hot spots where contact with water presents health hazards.
Such is the case with Park View Kayak Launch in Miami Beach, Florida, which ranks as the dirtiest bacteria hotspot in Florida and one of the worst in the US.
The City of Miami Beach’s website maintains a “no contact with the water” advisory for the area adjacent to the kayak launch at 73 Street. The City says, “water sampling results continue to show a fecal indicator bacteria concentration that exceeds recreational water quality standards established by the Florida Department of Health.”
In its 2024 Clean Water Report, the Surfrider Foundation, a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans, waves, and beaches, ranks ten Beach Bacteria Hot Spots from the East Coast, West Coast, Puerto Rico, and Hawai‘i, where Surfrider Foundation chapters are consistently measuring high bacteria levels that exceed state health standards for recreational water…