At Buckroe Beach in Hampton, health officials found contamination in the water 16 times last year.

That means beachgoers were advised not to swim for a total of more than two weeks during the summer, or risk coming into contact with bacteria that can cause skin rashes and gastrointestinal illness.

Environmental advocates gathered at Buckroe Tuesday to highlight a new report called “Safe for Swimming?,” which outlines issues with pollution at local beaches.

“Beaches like this are part of what makes Hampton Roads a great place to live, and why swimming will always be an essential part of summer in coastal Virginia,” said Sam Hartz with Environment Virginia, a branch of the national nonprofit Environment America, which authored the report. “Unfortunately, too often our beaches are plagued with pollution that can make swimmers sick.”

Between May and September, the Virginia Department of Health tests water weekly at 48 beaches in Virginia, from the Eastern Shore to Sandbridge in Virginia Beach.

Officials set out with 100-milliliter bottles attached to poles that they extend about a half-meter into the water to collect a sample, as well as observe beach conditions that can influence water quality, Margaret Smigo with the health department previously told WHRO.

Lab technicians look for indicators of bacteria that can make people sick, such as E. coli: “basically poop, or fecal matter in the water,” Smigo said.

Residents can check the health department’s website for the status of monitoring at individual beaches.

About 85% of Virginia’s beaches were found to have potentially unsafe bacteria at least once last summer, according to Environment Virginia’s analysis.

Hilton Beach in Newport News had the most positive test days, with 17, followed by Buckroe South.

Elly Wilson, the nonprofit’s state director, said one of the major causes of beach pollution in Virginia is rain that washes contaminants such as dog poop and fertilizer off local streets and lawns into storm drains and waterways.

“We live in a very, very old state, so a lot of our infrastructure is old and in some cases failing,” Wilson said. “When it rains quite a bit, we don’t have the right tools in place to prevent the runoff from getting into our waterways.”

Climate change could also exacerbate issues that contribute to pollution, such as increased frequency and intensity of rainfall.

Groundwater rise driven by climate change has started to swamp home septic systems in Hampton Roads, sometimes allowing raw sewage to enter and pollute waterways.

Air and water are also getting hotter, which helps bacteria and algae thrive. Florida has dealt with beach shutdowns because of a species of harmful algae that thrives in warmer water, for example. Officials say Virginia has avoided this specific algae so far because of cooler waters, but rising temperatures could help it spread north.

“The more that our climate is warming, the more at risk we are for having dangerous days at the beach,” Wilson said.

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City of Norfolk

Advocates say local and state officials can address the issue by investing in updated stormwater infrastructure and protecting wetlands that help filter pollution.

Beachgoers should be on the lookout for posted warning signs throughout the summer, but Wilson advises being aware that it takes the health department about a day to analyze water samples.

“If (there’s) heavy rainfall a day or so before you go to the beach, maybe take extra caution,” Wilson said.

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