Santa Monica Pier Beach: Another Year of Failing Grades for Water Quality

Santa Monica Beach Pollution: A Persistent Problem Santa Monica, CA – The beach adjacent to the iconic Santa Monica Pier has once again been named one of California's dirtiest beaches. Heal the Bay's annual Beach Report Card, released on May 30th, 2025, cited persistent water quality issues as the reason for the failing grade. This marks the second consecutive year the beach has received a failing grade. "Right here at the Santa Monica Pier, we often get a grade of F," stated Annelise Moe, Associate Director at Heal the Bay in an on-site interview. Moe and her team collected water samples to illustrate the problem. The samples, examined under UV light, revealed high levels of E. coli bacteria, a clear indicator of fecal contamination. The city of Santa Monica has implemented various measures to address the issue, including stormwater capture projects, trash abatement, and sand replacement. However, these efforts have not been fully effective in resolving the persistent pollution. The high concentration of birds under the pier is a suspected source of the contamination. While the pollution is concentrated near the pier, Moe assures that moving just 100 yards in either direction results in significantly cleaner water, graded as an A. Heal the Bay continues to advocate for improved water quality and public access to accurate information about beach conditions.