The Texas General Land Office wants to let the public know that Texas beaches are in fact 'stable and safe for recreational use' after a study released last week claimed 90% of beaches tested positive for fecal bacteria.
The original study by the group Environment Texas said ninety percent of beaches in the state tested positive for fecal bacteria at least one day last year, and those levels hit unsafe percentages of bacteria in the water.
Environment Texas works for clean air, clean water, clean energy, wildlife and open spaces, and a livable climate and looked at 61 different beaches in Texas with at least 55 of those testing positive for excessive levels of pollution.
“Even as Texans are back to enjoying the fresh sea breeze and splash of waves at the beach, pollution is still plaguing too many of the places where we swim,” said Luke Metzger, Environment Texas. “Now is the time to fix our water infrastructure and stop the flow of pathogens to our beaches.”
Experts say before you dive in to check TexasBeachWatch.com for recent water quality trends.
Nueces County saw the worst numbers for unsafe testing. It had the top 5 highest percentages. Galveston County with 3 beaches is in the top 10 worst beaches for excessive pollution.
Scientists estimate 57 million instances of people getting sick each year in the U.S. from swimming in oceans, lakes, rivers, and ponds. Those illnesses can include nausea, diarrhea, ear infections, and rashes.
Still, the Texas General Land Office issued the following statement:
The General Land Office’s (GLO) Texas Beach Watch research indicates that water quality levels on Texas beaches remain stable throughout the year and safe for recreational use. Since Texas Beach Watch was established, there has never been a time when a Texas beach was closed due to high bacteria levels.
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