Report Grades City's Beaches Based on Pollution

The National Resources Defense Council released a report Wednesday that found there were nearly 2,000 closings at beaches in the five boroughs due to polluted water or threat of contamination.

Two local swimming holes – Rockaway Beach and Long Beach – were among 14 beaches in New York and New Jersey to receive four stars, but no public beach in either state received a “Superstar” rating. Only one private beach – Reid Avenue at Breezy Point – received a perfect score.

Meanwhile, Douglas Manor Beach was ranked among the city’s private beaches with the most health standard violations. The beach violated health standards 19 percent of the time it was tested.

The Bronx had the most health standard violations in the five boroughs with Staten Island coming in second, Queens third and Brooklyn fourth.

The most common cause of contamination at the beaches was storm water runoff, but there were also reports of sewage spills and wildlife-related pollution. The majority of closings in 2012 were due to heavy rainfall.

“From the Jersey Shore to New York City’s beaches and the Hamptons, no one wants to go swimming in sewage on their summer vacations,” said Lawrence Levine, of the council. “Polluted water is not only bad for people’s health, but bad for local businesses in beach communities.”

New York ranked 22nd out of 30 states tested nationally.