High bacteria levels caused a record number of beach closures and related health advisories across the country last year, according to a report by a national environmental group.

The Natural Resources Defense Council's (NRDC) 2007 "Testing the Waters" report said that more than 1,600 beaches temporarily closed or posted swimming advisories last year due to bacteria levels exceeding those established by federal public health standards.

"This is a problem that is here to stay," said Nancy Stoner, NRDC Clean Water Project director. "Until we clean up the sources of pollution, we can expect to see continued records."

The number of days that ocean, bay and Great Lakes beaches closed or issued health advisories due to high bacteria levels has increased steadily since 2003 even though the number of beaches monitored at least weekly has remained steady at about 3,000, Stoner said. "The trend is unmistakable," she added.

NRDC researchers identified storm water discharges and sewage system overflows as the major identifiable sources of bacterial contamination at the beaches in question.

According to the NRDC, the number of days beaches closed or posted health advisories also set a record last year, increasing 28 percent to 25,643.

NRDC analyzed data sent to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by state and local beach monitoring programs and also gathered data directly from local beach managers to fill in information gaps.

Government officials said swimming at most beaches is usually safe, and the data confirms that. EPA officials called the nation's recreational shorelines "in good shape" at the beginning of this summer and noted that monitored beaches experienced contaminated-related closures and advisories only 5 percent of available beach days last year.

"We're seeing progress in keeping America's beaches clean, but significant challenges remain," said Benjamin Grumbles, EPA assistant administrator for water. "We want to move from a B+ to an A."

A summary of the NRDC's major findings, as presented in the 2007 "Testing the Waters" report:
•Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Rhode Island ranked the highest in percentage of water samples that exceeded EPA health standards.

•More than 1,600 beaches temporarily closed or posted a swimming advisory last year because bacteria levels exceeded federal public health standards.

•Water samples from 92 beaches in 19 states exceeded public health standards 25 percent of the time or more.

•Much of the record increase in beach closures and health advisories last year was due to heavy rains in Hawaii that caused a dramatic increase in contaminated storm water there.

•Storm water runoff was cited as the reason for 10,597 closing or advisory days in 2006, nearly double the number from 2005.

•The New York-New Jersey coast posted a 96 percent increase in closure and advisory days over 2005, largely due to storm water runoff and sewage system overflows. Closure and advisory days were up 91 percent on the West Coast for the same reasons, followed by New England at 75 percent, the Delmarva Peninsula (which includes all or parts of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia) at 43 percent and the Great Lakes at 7 percent.

•On the Gulf Coast, closure and advisory days decreased 14 percent because of reduced storm water runoff caused by drought. The Southeast saw a 3 percent decrease for the same reason.

Source: Green Bay Press-Gazette