New Jersey Beaches Get High Marks For Minimal Sewage Runoff
BARNEGAT BAY, NJ (CBSNewYork) -- Second only to New Hampshire, New Jersey beaches get high marks for minimal sewage runoffs caused by the rain.
While most beachgoers know to get out of the water when a thunderstorm's coming, not everyone knows that after it rains is the worst time to go swimming.
Environment New Jersey director Doug O'Malley says that's because of all the bacteria in the water.
WCBS 880's Levon Putney reports: O'Malley Says Majority Of Beach Closures Due To Rain Runoff
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"If you go swimming when the beach is closed, you have a good chance of getting sick," he said.
This year's beach water quality report by the Natural Resources Defense Council, shows 109 beach closings in 2010 which O'Malley says kept folks from getting ill.
"The vast majority, 101, were because of storm water pollution," said O'Malley. "Basically polluted run-off."
He says Barnegat Bay has had consistent closings. That's why environmentalists are using this report to push for limiting development down the shore.
