Small Town News

Delaware beaches among nations cleanest

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A national environmental group says Delaware waters were among the cleanest in the country last year.

The rankings released by the Natural Resources Defense Council score beaches based on the number of testing samples that exceed state standards. Just 1 percent of samples taken from Delaware beaches exceeded standards, says the report, released Wednesday, July 29.

Delaware shares the top spot with New Hamsphire and Virginia.

The council says polluted water at American beaches jeopardizes the health of swimmers. Nationwide, there were more than 20,000 beach closures due to pollution, said the report. It was the fourth consecutive year of that many closures, although the number has been declining since 2007, said the council.

The council, which has put out a national water-quality report for the past 19 years, relies on data from the Environmental Protection Agency to rank beaches. The group examines monitoring frequency and public notification systems for its rating system, which issues beaches up to five stars.

A decrease in closings and advisories in 2007 was the result of dry conditions, said the report. The primary source of pollution is stormwater runoff, and it continues to be a problem, according to the council.

"When the rains return, so will pollution, forcing beaches to issue more closings and advisory days," said Nancy Stoner, co-director of the council's water program. Water pollution can result in a variety of health concerns, from pinkeye and ear-nose-and-throat problems to gastrointestinal distress and neurological disorders, among others.

Stoner said after rainfall, swimmers should keep their heads above water, or avoid swimming at all.

The council, which is urging federal legislation to fund more beach water sampling and faster testing methods, says the best way to protect beachgoers is to prevent pollution.





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