SEATTLE – A new report names the dirtiest beaches in Washington state. The Natural Resource Defense Council's 20th annual beach water quality report says the dirtiest beaches (with percentage of samples exceeding state standards in 2009) are:
- Freeland County Park/Holmes Harbor in Island County (20%)
- Hollywood Beach in Clallam County (19%)
- Bayview Boat Launch in Skagit County (18%)
But the report says beach closings and advisories due to pollution dropped last year. In 2009 there were 48 days of closed beaches, while in 2008 there were 120 days of closings.
Fifty-four percent of closing/advisory days were from unknown sources of contamination, and 46 percent were from sewage spills or leaks.
"The frequency of our beach closings is apparently decreasing, but we can't stop fighting the preventable causes of most closings: bad septic systems, pet waste and bad agricultural practices," noted Bill Anderson, Executive Director of Tacoma's nonprofit Citizens for a Healthy Bay.
The report also provides a five-star rating guide for 200 of the nation's most popular beaches, based on indicators of beachwater quality, monitoring frequency, and public notification of contamination. In Washington, Alki Beach Park and Golden Gardens Park in King County, and Owens Beach in Pierce County received a rating of three out of five stars.
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