Barnegat Bay beaches: They top an environmental group list for the wrong reasons

Beaches around Barnegat Bay remain plagued by pollution and had more days of high bacteria levels than other ocean and bay beaches across New Jersey, according to a new report released Thursday.

Beaches in Ocean County were found to be potentially unsafe for swimmers about 3% of days in 2020, more than Cape May County (2% of days), Atlantic County (1%) and Monmouth County (0%), according to the report by Environment New Jersey Research & Policy Center. 

The release of the report coincided with a vote by Congress to approve an infrastructure spending package that would include funding for runoff and wastewater treatment.

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The Barnegat Bay beaches had more days of potentially unsafe bacteria than bay and ocean beaches across the rest of the state. 

Water conditions at the Fifth Avenue bayside beach in Seaside Park were potentially unsafe 14 out of 30 days tested, or 47% of the time, according to the report.

Long Beach Township's bay beach had potentially unsafe swimming conditions four out of 14 days tested, or 29% of the time. Surf City's bay beach was found to be potentially unsafe for swimmers four out of 17 days tested, or 24% of the time, according to the report.

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Beachwood's Beach West, which Environment New Jersey found to be the dirtiest beach in last year's report, was not given a percentage because it was closed for pollution testing for much of 2020.

"One day of a beach closing is too many," Doug O’Malley, director of Environment New Jersey Research & Policy Center, said in a statement. "We need to keep our beaches safe for swimming by working with Shore towns to build the infrastructure that will keep the water clean."

The report authors analyzed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s "Beach Action Values" from sampling sites across New Jersey.

The EPA values estimate the bacteria threshold that would result in an estimated illness rate of 32 out of every 1,000 swimmers. The federal agency uses the beach action values as an early warning sign of bacterial pollution, particularly for children and immunocompromised people who are more likely to get sick exposure.

Bathing beaches in New Jersey are tested each week for Enterococci bacteria, a microbe that is found in the feces and digestive systems of warm-blooded animals, including humans. The bacteria is used as an "indicator" species for other, illness causing pathogens that are also found in feces, such as E. coli, viruses and parasites.

Most of that pollution stems from wildlife, farms, storm runoff and sewage leaks, according to Environment New Jersey's report. The organization's report recommends Congress approve a $40 billion spending measure within the "INVEST in America Act" that would provide low-cost financing for clean water infrastructure projects for five years.

Congress passed the measure on Thursday morning, primarily along party lines. Two Republicans voted for the INVEST in America Act along with 219 Democrats, while 201 Republicans voted against it.

Environmentalists called for municipalities and homeowners to take action too, for towns to adopt low-impact development ordinances and for homeowners to garden with water-quality health in mind.

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"Every year, this report has shown that New Jersey needs to do more to protect our coast and bays from chronic pollution, runoff from fertilizers and septics, and old leaky sewer pipes," Taylor McFarland, acting director of the environmental advocacy group Sierra Club New Jersey, said in a statement.

She said: "It’s time for the Murphy Administration and the NJDEP (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection) to wake up and smell the sewage."

Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers Brick, Barnegat and Lacey townships as well as the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than a decade. Reach her at @OglesbyAPP, aoglesby@gannettnj.com or 732-557-5701.