Findings highlight need for continued water infrastructure investment
As Pennsylvanians and visitors return to Lake Erie beaches this summer, a new report warns that more work is needed to ensure that all waters are safe for swimming. In 2024, 100% of Pennsylvania’s Lake Erie beaches tested were potentially unsafe for swimming on at least one day, according to Safe for Swimming?, the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center’s latest analysis of bacteria testing.
The report release comes on the heels of multiple beach closings at Presque Isle on Lake Erie in July. The new research also comes as Congress considers funding for the main federal program to stop sewer overflows and runoff pollution.
“Even as local residents are back to enjoying the fresh breeze and splash of waves at Lake Erie’s beaches, pollution is still plaguing too many of the places where we swim,” said David Masur, executive director for the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center. “Now is the time to fix our water infrastructure and stop the flow of nasty bacteria and pollution to our beaches.”
To assess beach safety, the group examined whether fecal indicator bacteria levels exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) most protective “Beach Action Value,” which is associated with an estimated illness rate of 32 out of every 1,000 swimmers. All eight of the Lake Erie beaches in Pennsylvania exceeded this safety threshold on at least one day tested last year, with Presque Isle’s popular Beach 11 having higher bacteria levels on 56% percent of days tested, more than any other Pennsylvania Lake Erie beach tested.
For families who want to know if their favorite beach is currently safe for swimming, the new report also includes information on how to find the latest beach closings and health advisories in Pennsylvania.
Other Pennsylvania Lake Erie beaches found potentially unsafe for swimming at least once in 2024 were Presque Isle’s Beach 1, Beach 3 (Barracks Beach), Beach 6, Beach 8 (Pettinato Beach), Beach 9 (Pine Tree Beach), Beach 10 (Budny Beach) and Freeport Beach.
Scientists estimate 57 million instances of people getting sick each year in the United States from swimming in polluted waters. Those illnesses can include nausea, diarrhea, ear infections and rashes.
Common sources of bacterial contamination at beaches include sewage and runoff pollution.The report recommends major investments to stop sewage overflows and runoff pollution. Smart investments in nature-based solutions and repair of aging systems yield cleaner water. But further progress in keeping sewage pollution out of our waterways will require more resources.
“When Congress passed the Clean Water Act more than 50 years ago, our nation resolved that we would make all our waterways safe for swimming,” said Masur. “It is time for Pennsylvania officials to commit themselves to that goal and dedicate the resources needed to achieve it.”
