Galveston Beaches Too Polluted For Swimming In 2017: Report

GALVESTON, TEXAS -- Texas beaches are almost always a prime destination during the summer months, but swimming in the murky waters of Galveston Bay may not be good for you given levels of fecal bacteria, according to a new report.

Drawing from Texas Commission on Environmental Quality data, the Environment Texas Research and Policy Center environmental group study indicates that eight Houston area beaches were listed as unsafe for swimming during peak periods in 2017.

Six of these beaches were in Galveston, while two others that were tested for pollution levels were in Freeport and Matagorda Bay.

The beaches that tested unsafe included:

• Galveston Island State Park #6 at Bayside
• Retillion Road
• Magnolia Lane
• Sylvan Beach South
• Fort Crockett Seawall Park
• Helen Blvd Beach
• Beach Drive in Freeport
• Palacios Pavilion East at Matagorda Bay

State officials tested the coastal waters for at least 40 days during peak months, the report states. The pollution readings indicated the coastal waters contained higher that average levels of fecal contamination making the water too polluted for swimming.

While Galveston beaches unsafe, there were more safe days than there were bad days in 2017. The top three beaches with the most unsafe days for swimming were all along Corpus Christi Bay, according to the report.

The three beaches with the most unsafe water days in 2017 were Ropes Park, Cole Park, and Emerald Beach all located in Corpus Christi, on the southern shore of the bay. According to the report, all of those beaches tested as unsafe on more than 10 days.

Swimming in contaminated water can lead to gastrointestinal illness, as well as respiratory disease, ear and eye infections, and skin rashes.

Some areas in Texas did not have any tests that indicated unsafe water in 2017, including beaches in the area of McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge and Sea Rim State Park near Beaumont, and beaches on South Padre Island and Boca Chica State Park at the southern tip of Texas. These beaches were all tested between 25 and 38 times during 2017.

Click here to learn more about pollutants in Texas waterways and beaches.

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