The Santa Monica Pier has been ranked among California's most polluted beaches for the 10th consecutive year, according to an annual water quality report released ahead of Memorial Day weekend, raising fresh public health concerns at one of the state's most visited coastal destinations.
The environmental nonprofit Heal the Bay placed the iconic pier at No. 2 on its 2025-2026 Beach Bummer list, a ranking of the 10 California beaches with the worst water quality during summer dry weather. The designation reflects what the group described as "persistent water quality challenges at one of the state's most visited coastal destinations."
"No one should get sick from a weekend in our waters," Heal the Bay CEO Tracy Quinn said. "These findings are a reminder that water quality isn't just a report, it's a public health issue that affects every beachgoer and river user across California."
According to the report, "despite years of investment and remediation efforts, elevated bacteria levels continue to pose a direct public health risk for millions of beachgoers."
The Beach Report Card, which has tracked bacterial pollution for more than 36 years, evaluates fecal indicator bacteria levels at hundreds of beaches from Washington state to Baja California, translating complex water quality data into letter grades from A to F. "A single exposure to bacteria-contaminated water can lead to illness, including rashes, ear infections, respiratory issues, and gastrointestinal symptoms," the report states.
Only Playa Blanca in Tijuana, heavily impacted by transboundary wastewater flows from Baja California, ranked worse than the Santa Monica Pier. The pier is classified as a storm drain-impacted beach, meaning runoff carrying urban pollutants flows directly into surrounding waters.
Heal the Bay said it is "actively investigating pollution sources near the Pier through its Santa Monica Pier Task Force, in partnership with the City of Santa Monica, to identify long-term solutions."
The pier's poor showing comes against a backdrop of broader statewide water quality declines. The report found that 91% of California beaches still earned A or B grades during summer dry conditions, but "wet weather grades declined statewide, dropping from 67% to 61% during storms." Heal the Bay attributed the slide to increased rainfall, urban runoff and aging stormwater infrastructure.
"Southern California saw some of the largest winter and wet weather declines this year, as stormwater runoff carried more pollution into beaches and waterways," the report said. Six of the 10 Beach Bummer sites this year were in San Mateo County, "many located in enclosed harbor and lagoon systems where limited circulation contributes to chronic bacteria pollution."
The number of beaches earning a spot on Heal the Bay's Honor Roll — reserved for beaches receiving A+ grades across summer dry, winter dry and wet weather conditions — fell sharply this year to 21, "a notable decrease from the 62 beaches last year," according to the report. In Los Angeles County, only Bluff Cove in Palos Verdes Estates earned Honor Roll status.
Most Honor Roll beaches were in Orange and San Diego counties, including sites in Huntington Harbour, Laguna Beach, Carlsbad and Point Loma.
Heal the Bay urged beachgoers heading to the coast over the holiday weekend to take precautions before entering the water. The organization recommends three steps: "Avoid swimming within 72 hours after rainfall," "Stay away from storm drains, river outlets, and enclosed stagnant waters," and "Always check current water quality conditions before recreating."
Weekly water quality grades are available year-round through the Beach Report Card app and at beachreportcard.org.
The report's findings underscore what Heal the Bay described as long-standing infrastructure gaps that allow pollution hotspots to reappear year after year. "Many pollution hotspots identified in previous years reappeared, underscoring ongoing challenges tied to stormwater runoff, stagnant circulation, and aging wastewater infrastructure," the report said.
Climate change is expected to compound those challenges. "As climate change intensifies rainfall extremes, wildfire impacts, and urban runoff pressures, sustained investment in water infrastructure and access to clear, reliable public health information, will only become more critical," the report warned.
Founded in 1985, Heal the Bay is "an environmental nonprofit dedicated to making coastal waters and inland watersheds of greater Los Angeles safe, healthy, and clean." The organization said its volunteers have removed nearly 4 million pieces of plastic trash from California coastlines over the past four decades.
For the millions of beachgoers expected at California's coast this Memorial Day weekend, the report card delivers a pointed message about one of the state's most visited destinations: by Heal the Bay's measure, the Santa Monica Pier remains among the most polluted beaches in California.