Report: Hermosa Waters Earn 5 Stars

Hermosa Beach's shore has continued its clean track record of ocean water quality, according to the National Resources Defense Council.

The environmental action group released Wednesday its 21st annual beach water quality report that measures pollution levels from stormwater runoff and sewage overflows along America’s beaches.

Hermosa Beach's ocean waters near the Pier were given stars in all five rating criteria the council used to measure quality, which were:

• the cleanliness of the ocean water and how much it exceeds national standards;
• the water quality measurements over a three-year period;
• frequency in water testings;
• response time in issuing advisories, and how accessible advisories are.

Hermosa Beach's ocean waters near 26th Street were only given stars for promptly issuing its advisories for the public and making them accessible (see accompanying document under photo.)

The council rated more than 3,000 beaches in its report. The beaches with the best testing results in the country were:

• Delaware: Rehoboth Beach-Rehoboth Avenue Beach, in Sussex County
• Delaware: Dewey Beach, in Sussex County
• Minnesota: Park Point Lafayette Community Club Beach, in St. Louis County
• New Hampshire: Hampton Beach State Park in Rockingham County

The report also revealed 10 beaches with the worst persistent contamination problems, with water samples exceeding public health standards more than 25 percent of the time for each year from 2006 to 2010: 

• California: Avalon Beach in Los Angeles County (3 of 5 monitored sections):
• California: Cabrillo Beach Station in Los Angeles County
• California: Doheny State Beach in Orange County (2 of 6 monitored sections):
• Florida: Keaton Beach in Taylor County
• Illinois: North Point Marina North Beach in Lake County
• New Jersey: Beachwood Beach West in Ocean County
• Ohio: Villa Angela State Park in Cuyahoga County
• Texas: Ropes Park in Nueces County
• Wisconsin: Eichelman beach in Kenosha County
• Wisconsin: South Shore Beach in Milwaukee

"Clean beachwater is not only good for public health, it supports healthy coastal economies that generate billions of dollars and support millions of American jobs," said David Beckman, director of the water program at National Resources Defense Council, in a statement.

Environmental group Heal the Bay gave Hermosa Beach an A-plus grade for water quality this year.

Within the past two years, Hermosa Beach has completed projects aimed to improve the health of the local marine environment. In November, the Pier Avenue Improvement included a new infiltration-storm drain system to trap trash and storm water before it reached the ocean, earning an .

Prior, the city completed its , which was built along the Strand as a protective barrier to capture urban runoff, stormwater, and debris, earning  award.