Contaminated waters force beach closures along U.S. East Coast

mong the affected sites were well-known tourist destinations such as Keyes Memorial Beach in Hyannis on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Benjamin’s Beach in Bay Shore on Long Island, New York.

Report highlights elevated health risks

A new report by Environment America (EA) assessed beach safety based on bacterial levels relative to standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to the findings, exposure to contaminated water at current levels could result in illness for 32 out of every 1,000 bathers.

The issue is not isolated. In 2023, over 60 percent of U.S. beaches experienced potentially unsafe contamination levels at least once, with 54 percent of East Coast beaches exceeding thresholds.

Aging infrastructure at the core

John Rumpler, senior attorney and clean water program director at EA, pointed to outdated sewage systems as the primary source of the problem.

- These beaches are treasures for families in New England and across the country. They are a common good. We must invest to ensure that our waste does not end up in the waters where we swim, John Rumpler told Fox News.

Weather intensifies the problem

In North Carolina, five beaches were placed under advisories in late August after water samples showed elevated bacterial concentrations. While not officially closed, state officials urged swimmers—particularly those with weakened immune systems—to exercise caution.

Erin Bryan-Millush, environmental quality department program manager, emphasized that heavy rainfall and storm systems, including Hurricane Erin, exacerbated the issue.

- Stormwater runoff carries everything to the shoreline, she explained.

Implications for the maritime sector

The scale of the closures underscores the urgent need for:

• Upgrading wastewater infrastructure to handle both volume and resilience,
• Comprehensive monitoring systems for coastal water quality, and
• Climate adaptation measures to manage increasingly intense storm events that accelerate pollutant runoff into marine environments.

For the maritime economy—where coastal recreation, tourism, and public health are directly tied to environmental quality—these findings highlight a pressing structural challenge.