Water quality in Long Beach has improved dramatically since the summer, earning the city its best scores since 1990, according to a recent report by Heal the Bay.
The city’s beach water quality was examined and given a grade of ‘D’ by the environmental group in an annual report released May 25, but the organization’s recently released “Beach Bummer” report rated many beaches in Long Beach with grades of ‘A.’
Beaches on 10th Place, Belmont Pier, and Prospect Avenue and Granada Avenue earned an ‘A+.’
The only beach to receive lower than an ‘A’ grade was North End at Mother’s Beach, which received a ‘B.’
Heal the Bay, a nonprofit organization, took weekly samples of the water to examine if it contained bacteria, fecal matter or general pollution.
Matt King, a spokesman for Heal the Bay, said that, because of Long Beach’s major efforts, its beaches’ water quality has vastly improved.
According to the City of Long Beach’s website, the city’s water quality program measures seven miles of public beach. The health department’s water quality program monitors the bacterial levels in the oceans, bays and marinas, collecting 25 samples weekly.
Students said they are now more willing to visit the city’s beaches.
“I definitely would,” senior healthcare administration major Samantha Jeet said. “When you think about Long Beach, they are not known for their clean water. Now knowing that they’ve cleaned up and made the effort, there is an incentive to go.”
Stacy Robinson contributed to this report.
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