We see so many people these days struggling to keep their heads above water and now that cliche is no longer a euphemism.

Just this week two miles of beach in New Jersey closed after a pipe broke at the Asbury Park sewage treatment plant, releasing about half a million gallons of partly treated sewage into the water.

Try to guess how many media outlets discussed the impact on the life we might kill that lives in the ocean. NONE!  And, I looked far and wide. What’s up with that?

Closures and health advisory days at nationwide ocean, bay and beaches topped 20,000, and that’s the highest number since the Natural Resources Defense Council started tracking the problem 16 years ago.

At fault? Sewage and storm water runoff reaching our beaches are a big part of the problem, along with people crowding the nation’s shores without paying enough attention to their impact.

Swimming in polluted waters causes:

gastroenteritis
respiratory infections–illnesses common in Third World countries–
pink eye
ear infections
skin rashes

The consequences tend to be worse for children, the elderly, pregnant women, cancer patients and other people with weakened immune systems.

I like this guy’s attitude on the topic. I totally get where he’s coming from. Sometimes you have to be firm without being arrogant to filter through beaurocracy and politics.

“The problem with municipalities, with planning boards and with elected officials is that they have to get with the program, they have to embrace these technologies, and start saying, ‘No, you can’t just build whatever you want. You have to think of the public trust surrounding water,” says Michael Mallin, research professor in the Center for Marine Science at the University of North Carolina Wilmington

How do you know you swallowed water that is making you ill?

If you lose the desire to either create a sandcastle like this or even want to stop and enjoy this eyegasm of beauty, you know you’re not doing well.

Not everyone with symptoms makes the connection or bothers going to the doctor. After a day of burgers, chips and ice cream, they might just assume it was something they ate.

“They don’t know whether it was the hot dog vendor, swimming in the beach [water] or if they caught a virus,” says Nancy Stoner, director of NRDC’s Clean Water Project.

How It Happens

The biggest source of pollution is storm water runoff. After a heavy rainfall, runoff carries pollutants on the ground’s surface into beach water, making it the most dangerous time to take a swim.

There’s a continual problem of discharges associated with storm water that occurs every time it rains.

Beaches that are the lucky first place winners of the Sewage Contamination from Spills award goes to Malibu Beach in California, 10 beaches in Hawaii and Princess Beach in the Virgin Islands, according to the NRDC.

Second place winners are Rhode Island, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts and Georgia. Each had a beach in which at least 25% of its water samples exceeded the national standard.

Fouling Factors

Beyond storm water runoff, dry weather runoff can have an impact, says Mark Gold, president of the Santa Monica-based, nonprofit environmental organization Heal the Bay.

Watering your lawn can cause a storm flow to drain in a typically dry month and pick up pollutants, such as fertilizer and pesticides, along the way.

There are many green building techniques that can cut down on storm water runoff or filter it, such as retention ponds, rain gardens and constructed wetlands, or for more urban areas, sand filters.

But they can be costly.

Not these.

Make sure kids swim in diapers with plastic pants, so they don’t leak into the water.

Leaving trash on the sand attracts wildlife, which leave their feces on the beach and contaminate the water.

Picking up after your pet also can prevent fecal bacteria from getting into the water.

If you’re watering your lawn, try to make sure the water stays on site by positioning your sprinklers far from pavement.

And don’t be afraid to call a local public health official with questions, says Kari Martin, policy communications director for Clean Ocean Action, a nonprofit aimed at improving the quality of the waters off the New Jersey and New York coast.

If you see a pipe spewing into beach water, don’t swim near it and ask if it’s cause for concern. Frequently check your local county Web site for beach closings and advisories. If you’re worried about getting sick from swimming, keep your head above water.

By the way, this [report] isn’t about keeping people away from beaches or to make people feel bad. The revenue associated with coastal tourism is a huge driver for water pollution prevention. We’re just trying to get people to realize what they can do to clean up beach water pollution.

Oh my, do we have to add one more thing to the list of what we do to prepare for the beach? High-tech sunscreen, an umbrella and an ultra-violet protective bathing suit are not enough. You’re avoiding the sun during peak exposure hours and you’re ready for a health-conscious trip to the shore; well, get online and check your local county Web site for beach closings and advisories. If you’re worried about getting sick from swimming, keep your head above water.