SoCal (and Los Angeles in particular) is famous for being blessed with ideal weather for enjoying the outdoors, soaking up the sun, swimming, and surfing, thanks to its mile-long beaches. However, not all beaches in the region are suitable for these activities due to varying conditions.
That’s why every year, the organization Heal the Bay releases its Beach Report Card, grading the cleanest and dirtiest beaches along the entire West Coast, from Washington to Mexico.
Out of the 500 California beaches analyzed, 62 earned a spot on the Honor Roll. Los Angeles County ranked third in the state for the highest number of clean beaches (7), just behind San Diego (12) and Orange County, which topped the list with an impressive amount of 34 beaches. This year, L.A. County landed seven beaches on the Honor Roll, a notable turnaround after being absent from the list for the past two years. Most of these high-performing spots are found along the Palos Verdes Peninsula or in Malibu.
But it’s not all good news for L.A. as once again, the county is home to the dirtiest beach on the entire West Coast for the second year in a row: Santa Monica. According to the report, despite improvements like stormwater capture systems and bird deterrent netting, water quality issues persist. Largely due to pollution from urban runoff and the heavy activity around the Pier.
What determines whether a beach is considered clean? Grades are based on routine water quality testing carried out by a range of agencies, including county and state health departments, Tribal organizations, and sanitation districts. These water samples are analyzed for three key fecal indicator bacteria (FIB): total coliform, fecal coliform (E. coli), and Enterococcus. Elevated levels of these bacteria suggest the presence of harmful pathogens that could pose health risks to beachgoers.