Planning a trip to the beach this summer? Turns out you maybe walking into a big pile of you know what.

Texas Beaches Have a Fecal Problem

It's hot outside right now and many Texans are planning a trip to the beach. If you're planning a road trip to a Texas beach, be careful according to a report from the Environmental Protection Agency. The study concluded in 2022 that 90% of Texas beaches tested positive for unsafe levels of fecal bacteria.

What Are the Worst Beaches in Texas?

According to the report, Cole Park in Corpus Christi had the most unsafe levels of fecal bacteria last summer. More than half of the days they did the test in 2022, the water was above fecal contamination level. Earlier I said 90% of beaches in Texas tested postive for high fecal bacteria. It is possible it could have been one day or many days as for example this beach in Corpus Christi.

Texas Gulf Coast

Here was a big portion of the survey. When someone thinks of a Texas beach, the Texas Gulf Coast comes to mind for many individuals. 84 percent of Gulf coast beaches tested positive at least once, more than any other region in the entire United States of America. Awesome!

What Happens If You Swim in Contaminated Water?

Possible symptoms include gastrointestinal illness as well as respiratory disease, ear and eye infection, and skin rash. Environment Texas believes the high levels of fecal bacteria are coming from urban runoff, sewage overflows and factory farms. So be careful on your trip to the beach this summer. Could be swimming with something you may not want to be.