Overview
- Heal the Bay published its 2025-26 Beach and River Report Cards on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, listing Playa Blanca near Tijuana as the state's worst beach and the Santa Monica Pier area as the second‑worst.
- The reports show overall summer dry‑weather grades remain strong with 91% of beaches earning A or B, but wet‑weather grades fell from 67% to 61 and the number of Honor Roll A+ beaches dropped sharply from 62 to 21.
- Heal the Bay and the City of Santa Monica formed a task force and will run microbial source testing with the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project to identify whether human sewage, birds, dogs or other sources drive rising bacteria at the pier.
- The River Report Card flagged recurring freshwater pollution hotspots in the lower Los Angeles River watershed, with the worst grades near the Rio Hondo confluence and Hollydale Park, and officials point to stormwater runoff and aging infrastructure as key drivers.
- The reports warn of real health risks from fecal bacteria and advise avoiding swimming within 72 hours after rain and steering clear of storm drains and river outlets while cross‑border upgrades and local infrastructure work continue to try to reduce sewage flows and runoff.