Environmental group releases report on New York beach pollution
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Woodlawn Beach tops NY for unsafe swimming days
Analysis finds Woodlawn Beach in Buffalo is the one that closed most often due to pollutants during the 2024 swimming season. The culprits are things you can’t readily see in the water. Bacteria, fecal matter, and pathogens entering the lake from storm and sanitary sewer runoff as well as agricultural waste which enters tributaries. The health department tests its waters daily during the swimming season and will post signs advising swimmers to stay out of the water if pollutants are a concern. Other Buffalo area beaches found potentially unsafe for swimming at least once in 2024 included Bennett Beach and Evangola State Park.
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BUFFALO, N.Y. — Environment New York’s Research and Policy Center is out with a report on how often beaches are closed to swimmers, due to the presence of bacteria.
It shows that out of more than 300 beaches across New York State, the one most often closed is right here in Western New York.
“Looking at Woodlawn Beach on a hot summer day like today, what could be more refreshing, refreshing than splashing in these waves?” asked Dave Masur, a director with the agency.
But according to Masur, there’s a murkier side to this summer scene where despite efforts over the decades aimed at improving water quality, Woodlawn still holds a dubious distinction among beaches in the state.
“At Woodlawn Beach State Park, the beach water tested potentially unsafe for swimming with higher bacteria levels on 37 days during the 2024 beach season. That’s one-third of the days tested for water quality at this beach. And in fact, Woodlawn Beach State Park had the highest number of potentially unsafe swimming days for any beach tested across New York State, that’s out of nearly 335 beaches tested,” Masur said.
The culprits are things you can’t readily see in the water. Bacteria, fecal matter, and pathogens entering the lake from storm and sanitary sewer runoff as well as agricultural waste which enters tributaries.
Woodlawn is also located right next to an Erie County sewage treatment plant, which is why the health department tests its waters daily during the swimming season and will post signs advising swimmers to stay out of the water if pollutants are a concern.
“Sadly, nearby Hamburg Beach didn’t fare much better, ranking third in the state for the number of potentially unsafe days in 2024 with 30 days out of 95 days tested at that beach,” Masur said.
Other Buffalo area beaches found potentially unsafe for swimming at least once in 2024 included Bennett Beach and Evangola State Park.
In Niagara County beaches such as Olcott and Camp Kenan Beach (which is part of a YMCA camp) both had positive tests for exceedances for at least one day in 2024.