The NRDC says that over the past 10 years, beach closings and advisories have risen steadily, showing that serious water pollution, largely caused by sewage and storm drain discharges, is expanding unchecked at many points along the coastline. Figures may actually understate the real nature of the threat, because few states conduct compre-hensive monitoring of beach water, and water quality standards vary significantly across jurisdictions. McGee says the most common illnesses caused by pathogen-laden water are gastroenteritis, hepatitis and ear, eye, nose and throat infections. Additional diseases caused by the presence of bacteria and viruses in the ocean can include cholera, dysentery and skin rashes. Pollution-borne parasites also can cause giardiasis, an intestinal disorder.
Symptoms often manifest themselves in the form of nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and fever.
Though most of these conditions are not life-threatening, they can be extremely hazardous to children, the elderly and to those with weakened immune systems. Surfers really are the canaries in the coal mine when it comes to indicating something's wrong. They're in the water all the time, and they're the first to come down with whatever nastiness is lurking in that saltwater soup. Partially as a result of these reports, the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project studied the health risks stemming from exposure to the water in Santa Monica Bay. Not surprisingly, researchers also found that swimming in any location with high bacterial contamination increased a person's risk of becoming ill.