Santa Monica Bay

How is Santa Monica doing?

The quality of water at Santa Monica beaches impacts residents and visitors alike, and certain beaches, such as the Santa Monica Municipal Pier, are subject to frequent warnings due to high bacterial levels. The high bacterial levels at this location result from an abundant nesting and daily influx of pigeons and resultant bird waste combined with beach geography which concentrates that waste. Tracking exceedance days can provide transparency for beachgoers and data for policymakers working to improve conditions.

Los Angeles County Public Health and Los Angeles City Sanitation officials monitor beach water quality for certain kinds of bacterial contamination. If levels of bacteria exceed safety standards, health officials notify the public by posting signs indicating a warning or closure is in effect. There are five sites monitored on Santa Monica beaches: Montana, Wilshire, the Pier, Pico-Kenter, and Ashland. There are different pollution standards for wet weather and dry weather months (Winter and Summer). The standards differ because rain contributes significantly to urban runoff and beach water pollution whereas pollution during the dry weather season comes from different sources.

This is an accumulation of the five testing sites. The majority of exceedances days occur at the Pier testing site. During the summer months with dry weather in 2022, there were a total of 125 exceedance days (92% occurred at the Pier). During the winter months with dry weather, there were a total of 109 exceedance days (70% occurred at the Pier). During the months with wet weather, there were 60 exceedance days (43% occurred at the Pier). 

Winter Months - Dry Weather Exceedance

This indicator measures the number of exceedance days during dry weather between November to March. This chart shows the variation in different testing sites in Santa Monica. 

Summer Months - Dry Weather Exceedance

This indicator measures the number of exceedance days during dry weather between April and October.

Wet Weather Exceedance

This indicator measures the total number of exceedance days during wet weather.