Beach season is here, but travelers need to be careful—some beautiful beaches in the U.S. have dangerously high bacteria levels.
According to the 2024 Clean Water Report by the Surfrider Foundation, Kahalu’u Beach in Oahu, Hawaii, has the highest bacteria level among all tested beaches. The report shows that 92% of the water samples from Kahalu’u failed to meet health standards for safe swimming.
Coming in second is Waikomo Stream at Koloa Landing in Poipu, Hawaii, with a 90% high bacteria rate.
The report tested over 600 beaches, and many were found unsafe for swimming. Causes of this pollution include stormwater runoff, sewage leaks, farming waste, and industrial chemicals. These pollutants mix in the ocean and can harm public health.
The Surfrider Foundation’s Blue Water Task Force collected over 10,000 water samples in 2024 with help from volunteers across the country. They found that 80% of beaches tested showed high bacteria levels.
Surfrider is also warning about a new threat: a proposal to cut funding for beach water testing programs across 35 U.S. states and territories. This could mean no more alerts about unsafe water, leaving beachgoers in danger.
They’ve started a petition urging Congress to keep funding the EPA’s BEACH Act Grants, which help monitor water quality and protect public health.
Hawaii’s beaches are famous worldwide, and protecting them from pollution is more important than ever.
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