Popular Central Coast beach identified by environmental group as having one of the highest levels of bacteria in the country

AVILA BEACH, Calif. - A popular San Luis Obispo County beach area has made a "top 10 list" released by a national environmental group for having one of highest levels of bacteria in the country.

On Tuesday, Surfrider Foundation released its Clean Water Annual Report, which indicates what locations have tested for bacteria levels that exceed government standards.

The testing is conducted through Surfrider's "Blue Water Task Force," which is says is the largest volunteer-run beach water testing program in the United States.

Surfrider describes the Blue Water Task Force as a national network of chapter-led labs that measure bacteria levels at more than 600 locations across the country.

"There are 60 Blue Water Task force programs in the United States, including Puerto Rico," said Niel Dilworth, San Luis Obispo Chapter Surfrider Foundation Chair and Blue Task Force Coordinator. "This report is based on the data that's posted by all 60 of those programs."

Among the dozens of locations Surfrider tested and was determined to having a nationally high level of bacteria is the mouth of San Luis Obispo Creek as it enters the Pacific Ocean in Avila Beach.

According to testing performed by Surfrider volunteers, water in the creek was found to have bacteria exceeding California safety standards 38% of the time.

"Our program tests local beaches and creeks for water quality," said Dilworth. "We do it weekly. We test for a bacteria that the EPA has identified as a lead indicator for the possible presence of human bacteria. The creek mouth here at Avila Beach tests positive for that bacteria and exceeds the state standards for that bacteria about a third to half of the tests we take weekly, so that means either one in three or one out of every two times you go in the water there, there's a good chance the water exceeds the state standards for a hazardous bacteria."

That amount has placed the San Luis Obispo Creek mouth on Surfrider’s "2024 Beach Bacteria Hot Spots."

"Avila Beach is one of the locations that has the ten most frequent exceedances, so it's not at the top of the list, but that's something to be concerned about," said Dilworth. "Two years in a row now, we've been on the list as one of the top ten or bottom ten, I guess, depending on how you want to think about it, for having one of the dirtiest beaches as far as bacteria is concerned."

As for what is the causing the high levels of bacteria, both Surfrider, as well as local agencies are still trying to determine the source.

"We appreciate the Surfrider Foundation’s dedication to protecting coastal water quality," Tom Cuddy, San Luis Obispo County Health Agency Public Information Officer, said in a statement. "In San Luis Obispo County, Public Health’s role focuses on conducting weekly, state-guided water quality monitoring and ensuring timely public notification. We are currently reviewing the 2025 Clean Water Report and will be engaging directly with Surfrider to provide our perspective and support a constructive, informed dialogue."

The Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, which provides oversight of pollution sources and regulatory enforcement provided News Channel 3-12 with the following statement in response to the Surfrider Foundation Clean Water Report.

"The Surfrider data indicate elevated bacteria levels in San Luis Obispo (SLO) creek and Avila Beach. There a many potential sources of bacteria in this area, including birds and bats, livestock, urban stormwater, human sources, leaking septic systems, or wastewater effluent. The Central Coast Water Board regulates wastewater treatment facilities near Avila Beach and based on the most recent receiving water monitoring data, the results do not indicate that these regulated facilities are a source of bacteria in SLO Creek or Avila Beach. The specific source or sources of elevated bacteria in the creek and at the beach are unknown at this time. San Luis Obispo County’s Health Agency collects ocean water samples on a weekly basis. If bacterial levels exceed water quality advisory levels, advisory signs are posted. To avoid potential risks, beachgoers should be aware of posted warnings."

Dilworth indicated Surfriders is now meeting quarterly with several San Luis Obispo County departments, including Public Health, Environmental Health, Public Works, as well as the Regional Water Quality Control Board in a new team effort to find a permanent solution.

"It's the start of an attempt to come up with a coordinated approach to finally nailing down what the sources are of the bacteria here in the estuary of San Luis Obispo Creek and what might be done to be able to remediate them so that we can have a safer place to swim," said Dilworth. "It's the next step. Nobody knows how soon we might come to what kind of a conclusion, but the good news is that we're making progress. It is being looked at and we're trying to get closer to doing something about this."