The Santa Monica Pier has been among the dirtiest beaches for 10 years in a row

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The Santa Monica Pier has been among the dirtiest beaches for 10 years in a row

As the Memorial Day weekend approaches, predictions of plenty of sunshine may prompt many Southern Californians to strip down to their bathing suits — but researchers are warning of unsanitary waters at some local beaches.

For the 10th year in a row, the area around the Santa Monica Pier was named one of the dirtiest beaches in California by researchers with the environmental nonprofit Heal the Bay.

The annual Beach Report Card examines the amount of pollution measured along the West Coast from Baja California to Washington state.

Researchers are examining sewage contamination because “even a single exposure can lead to illness.” Diseases include rashes, ear and upper respiratory infections and gastrointestinal illness, according to the report.

“No one should get sick over the weekend in our waters,” Heal the Bay Chief Executive Tracy Quinn said in a prepared statement. “These findings are a reminder that water quality is not just a report, but a public health issue that affects all beach and river users throughout California.”

Aerial view of 1000 Steps Beach, which made the honor list in Heal the Bay's annual report, in Laguna Beach.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

Of the 490 beaches surveyed by Heal the Bay between 2025 and 2026, the ten most polluted include six in San Mateo County, one in San Diego County and one in Humboldt County.

The Santa Monica Pier, especially north of Pico and south of Wilshire boulevards, remains the only beach in Los Angeles County to make the Heal the Bay list despite the city's recent infrastructure improvements.

The city of Santa Monica has improved storm water drainage systems and installed bird netting in an effort to reduce pollution, according to the report.

Garbage and pieces of eggs were dropped into the net under the Santa Monica Pier.

“While most of these improvements have been accompanied by temporary improvements in water quality, bacterial levels have increased,” the report said.

The current bird net has fallen.

“These ongoing problems highlight the need for continued investment and maintenance to improve the health of the environment,” the report said.

The Times reached out to the city of Santa Monica for comment but did not receive a response prior to publication.

Heal the Bay said it has partnered with the city to form a team to look into the cause of the reported pollution and inform about future solutions to alleviate the problem.

A task force – made up of government agencies, scientists, businesses and members of the public – has already begun to analyze bacterial data from the past 20 years on the pier. The task force hopes to uncover trends and better understand why water continues to be contaminated in the area.

The report states that water quality in the fishery has historically varied over the years.

Tourists stroll the Santa Monica Pier. The bottom waters of the bay make up the Heal the Bay Marine Explosives List.

“However, bacterial levels have been increasing since 2020, with monthly bacterial counts reaching 20 times the safety level in recent years,” according to the report.

“These levels are much higher than before 2020, suggesting that there was a structural or environmental change that led to this increase in pollution.”

In collaboration with the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Heal the Bay researchers will conduct microbial source studies to determine where this pollution actually comes from. With these tests for specific viruses, researchers can look at the DNA structure to see if the viruses can be linked to specific sources such as humans, birds or dogs.

Check out the 10 dirtiest beaches in the Bay

Playa Blanca (Tijuana, Mexico)
Santa Monica Pier (Los Angeles County)
Erckenbrack Park (San Mateo County)
Linda Mar Beach at San Pedro Creek (San Mateo County)
Parkside Aquatic Park (San Mateo County)
Pillar Point Harbor, Capistrano Road Beach (San Mateo County)
Pillar Point Harbor, Harbor Beach (San Mateo County)
Marlin Park (San Mateo County)
Tijuana Slough at the mouth of the Tijuana River (San Diego County)
Clam Beach County Park at Strawberry Creek (Humboldt County)

Of the 490 beaches monitored in the province, 21 earned a spot on the Heal the Bay “honor list,” a significant drop from 62 beaches on last year's list.

Researchers say the lower number may be due to higher-than-average seasonal rainfall in Southern California, a region that has historically dominated the “honor” list.

It should be noted that most of the beaches on the list are in Southern California and that is because the states of Northern and Central California do not monitor water quality throughout the year.