Heal the Bay Blog

A Big Win for Ventura 2026

01.15.2026 | Annelisa Moe

Heal the Bay is ecstatic to announce A BIG WIN for the coast!

For years, treated wastewater from the Ventura Water Reclamation Facility flowed directly into the Santa Clara River Estuary, one of Southern California’s most important and sensitive coastal ecosystems.

As of January 7, 2025, that changed. With the launch of Phase 1A of the wastewater recycling project called VenturaWaterPure, water is now being diverted away from the estuary, marking a major step toward healthier habitats and a sustainable local water supply for the City of Ventura.

This milestone is the result of decades of collaborative advocacy led by Heal the Bay and the Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation’s Ventura Coastkeeper Program, with the City of Ventura becoming a strong partner in delivering this outcome.

Why should Angelenos care? Because ecosystems are connected. The Santa Clara River flows to the ocean and provides critical habitat for protected species like the tidewater goby and snowy plover. Protecting these ecosystems helps shape water quality and strengthen regional climate resilience across Southern California.

Cleaner water and healthier habitats are a win for everyone, and proof that long-term environmental advocacy works. Ventura’s progress on water recycling puts the region more than a decade ahead of Los Angeles, showing what’s possible now and what remains at stake as LA delays action on our own water recycling efforts.

Read our 2024 Update: A Clean Start In Ventura

Heal the Bay and Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation have been collaborating to reduce impacts to the Santa Clara River Estuary from the Ventura Water Reclamation Facility since 2011, following a legal settlement (consent decree) with the City of Ventura. After more than a decade of scientific studies, bureaucratic negotiations, infrastructure planning, and a lengthy permitting process, we are excited that the VenturaWaterPure project is moving forward. The project will provide a net benefit to the estuary by reducing discharge of treated wastewater from the facility, which has a multitude of negative impacts on water and habitat quality in the estuary.

: The Santa Clara River Estuary outlet to the ocean

: The Ventura Water Reclamation facility

On December 15, 2024, Heal the Bay joined our consent decree partners along with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Michael Brain, to celebrate this water recycling and ecosystem restoration project.

Heal the Bay’s Associate Director, Science & Policy (Water Quality) Annelisa Moe (left) attends the VenturaWaterPure press conference.

Under CA State law, discharging treated wastewater is considered an unreasonable use of that water, and is therefore illegal, unless it provides an environmental benefit. Unfortunately, based on conclusions from a Science Panel and Technical Advisory Committee, treated wastewater flow into the naturally brackish Santa Clara River Estuary does not benefit the ecosystem, but actually negatively affects it in a variety of ways:

Decreases salinity variability, which is favorable for invasive species
Increases levels of nitrate and other nutrients leading to low dissolved oxygen levels, which is harmful to the entire ecosystem
Heightens the water level in the estuary leading to local flooding at McGrath State Park and unseasonal estuary berm breach events, which impedes public access and is harmful to native and listed species

So the City of Ventura has committed to dramatically reduce their discharge to the estuary and limit nutrient loading in any remaining discharge through the VenturaWaterPure project. The project also offers a co-benefit of up to 1.76 billion gallons of new recycled water supply for the City of Ventura by 2032. This supports the human right to water using an approach that is environmentally protective and affordable, especially when compared to other methods such as importing water, or using ocean water desalination.

Heal the Bay will continue to work closely with Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation and City of Ventura to ensure the transition to reduced discharge is protective of the estuary, that the new brine discharge to the ocean is done responsibly using the best available technology, and that the existing treatment ponds (which currently serve as important bird habitat) remain protected as part of the final VenturaWaterPure project.

Support Heal the Bay’s mission to protect public health through clean water policy:

Make A Donation

Heal the Bay’s 2011 report on The Santa Clara River estuary

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland visits Ventura water treatment project, Ventura County Star

Read Less

Coming Home, Changed: Reflections One Year After the Palisades Fire

01.07.2026 | Tracy Quinn

News

Coming Home, Changed: Reflections One Year After the Palisades Fire

By Tracy Quinn, President and CEO, Heal the Bay

One year ago, fire tore through Pacific Palisades and forever altered my relationship with the place I call home.

Like so many of my neighbors, I was displaced by the January 2025 Palisades Fire. For nearly a year, I lived in limbo, grateful that my house was still standing yet unable to return to it. That dual reality has stayed with me: relief and grief, gratitude and guilt, hope and heartbreak all existing at the same time.

I did not lose my home. Many did. And that truth has been one of the heaviest things to carry.

Survivor’s guilt is a quiet companion. It shows up when I drive past empty foundations, when I talk to neighbors mourning the loss of family heirlooms, when I unlock my own front door knowing others no longer can. Moving back to the Palisades has been both joyful and deeply sad. It has been wonderful to finally unpack my suitcase, to walk familiar streets, to watch the marine layer creep up the canyon. It has been sad because the neighborhood I returned to is not the same one, I left.

And yet, from the very first days after the fire, I also knew this: standing still was not an option. Not just because my insurance company would not approve long-term housing, forcing me to move every couple of weeks, but because the impacts of a wildfire do not end when the flames are out.

In coastal communities like ours, they flow downhill—into storm drains, creeks, lagoons, and ultimately the ocean.

I am grateful to have had a way to channel heartbreak into action at a time when the fire left so many feeling powerless. I am proud to be part of the Heal the Bay team that jumped in immediately, launching water quality testing to understand what the fire meant for beachgoers and for marine life that can’t escape our coastal waters. In the absence of clear regulatory standards for wildfire contaminants, our scientists used every available tool to assess potential risk and just as importantly, to explain what we still do not know.

When we learned that the EPA planned to use a site adjacent to Topanga Creek and Lagoon to sort and stage hazardous materials, we demanded a meeting. We raised concerns about placing hazardous waste operations next to an ecologically and culturally sensitive area and pushed for stronger protections and safer alternatives.

A year later, this is what we’ve learned.

We still do not know enough about the impacts of fire-related pollution on human health. In the absence of state or federal public health standards for wildfire contaminants in recreational waters, Heal the Bay scientists relied on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Risk Screening Level Calculator, a tool originally developed to evaluate exposure to individual contaminants in air, drinking water, and soil. While it was not designed for complex, multi-contaminant wildfire scenarios or recreational ocean exposure, it is currently the only published framework available to help contextualize this type of data.

Water quality data collected by Heal the Bay and the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board between January and May 2025 indicate that potential risk to people recreating in ocean water appears low when compared to EPA Risk Screening Levels. However, these screening levels are not safety thresholds. They do not account for cumulative exposure to multiple contaminants, pre-existing health conditions, or sensitive life stages such as pregnancy. Without clear regulatory standards, it is not possible to make definitive statements about safety, underscoring the need for clearer state-level guidance on post-fire water sampling, standardized testing protocols, and public health benchmarks for recreational exposure following wildfires.

While potential risk to humans from ocean recreation appears limited based on available screening tools, early monitoring raises greater concern for marine life. Unlike people, marine organisms remain continuously immersed in coastal waters and often have a lower tolerance for contamination. Wildfire-related pollutants can accumulate over time within marine sediments and move through the food web, potentially affecting fish, wildlife, and people who consume locally caught seafood. These impacts may unfold gradually and are not always visible in short-term water sampling.

The EPA hazardous waste sorting and staging sites at Topanga may have contributed to elevated pollutant levels at Topanga Beach. Shortly after operations began, water sampling detected a spike in several contaminants on February 6. While this timing does not establish causation, it raised serious concerns about whether hazardous waste handling activities may have played a role. Following advocacy and operational changes, subsequent sampling showed improvement, but it may take years to fully understand the long-term impacts on our coast and marine life.

What this past year has made painfully clear is that wildfires are no longer rare emergencies. They are recurring features of a changing climate. If we do not learn from this experience and make meaningful changes, the next disaster could be even more devastating.

For the coast, that means four urgent actions:

Fix stormwater infrastructure.
We must improve systems to divert the first and most contaminated stormwater flush to wastewater treatment facilities instead of allowing toxic runoff to flow directly into the ocean and increase stormwater capture throughout LA County.
Establish clear post-fire testing protocols.
This must include identifying all pollutants associated with urban wildfires and designating a responsible authority for timely ocean and sand sampling.
Set public health standards for recreational exposure.
Communities need clear, science-based benchmarks for contact with fire-related contaminants like lead, arsenic, and chromium.
Continue monitoring.
With ash coating the ocean floor and rain continuing to carry sediment from burn areas, sustained monitoring is essential to protect both human health and marine life.

In an era of climate change, true recovery means learning from what you have lost and being better prepared for what is coming next. It requires clear leadership from government agencies, proactive plans to protect public health and ecosystems, and sustained funding so nonprofits are not left filling critical gaps alone.

The Palisades Fire changed me. It changed our community. And Heal the Bay is working to make sure it also changes policy, so the next community facing a climate disaster is better protected.

-Tracy Quinn, President and CEO, Heal the Bay

►

Blue Ribbon Commission On Climate Action And Fire-Safe Recovery

Photo Credit: LA County Fire Department

Ready to take action? Join us this January for beach cleanups, science talks, and other events focused on building regional resilience as we mark one year since the LA Megafires.

Our Events

Read Less

January 2026 Turbidity Update

12.31.2025 | Heal the Bay

Ash to Action Testing Water

What are Heal the Bay scientists actually finding in the water one year after the Palisades Fire? Our post-fire coastal sampling and testing continue, with support from our partners at UCLA.

During the final days of a major rain event (December 23–26, 2025), Heal the Bay’s Water Quality team collected water samples on December 26 from creeks and beaches within the Palisades burn zone. The water’s color and texture immediately signaled severe runoff impacts.

While UCLA is analyzing these samples for heavy metals and other pollutants of concern, Heal the Bay scientists measured turbidity in our lab, a measure of how cloudy water is due to ash, dirt, and debris. The levels we found were extremely high. While turbidity doesn’t measure toxicity, it tells scientists that conditions are likely causing contaminants to move.

Below are the turbidity levels found by Heal the Bay from water samples collected on December 26th:

📍 Topanga Beach: 1,788 NTU
📍 Topanga Creek: 1,199 NTU
📍 Will Rogers Beach (Rustic Canyon): 1,502 NTU
📍 Rustic Canyon Creek (below confluence): 2,617 NTU
📍 Rustic Canyon Creek (above confluence): 3,733 NTU

For context, on December 12, 2025, during dry weather, these same waters measured below 5 NTU, which is typical for clear water. Readings between 1,000 – 4,000 NTU are extremely high and signal severe runoff impacts.

Why does this matter?

After a wildfire, vegetation that normally stabilizes soil and filters runoff is lost. Even a year after the wildfires, rain can rapidly wash ash, sediment, and debris into creeks and the ocean. High turbidity water can transport pollutants, harm aquatic life, clog fish gills, and block sunlight that marine ecosystems need to survive.

This research is ongoing. Additional samples are now being analyzed by UCLA for nutrients and heavy metals — a complex process that can take months. Heal the Bay will continue to share findings as results become available and keep the public informed as the science develops.

Donate today and help us protect what you love in 2026.

Support Frontline Science

Read Less

Heal the Bay’s 2025 Wrapped

12.22.2025 | Heal the Bay

News

Heal the Bay celebrated forty years of protecting the people, wildlife, and coastal waters of greater Los Angeles, and this year demonstrated just how vital that work is. From rising seas and plastic pollution to toxic algal blooms, our region faced mounting threats — and it began with one of the most devastating climate disasters in Los Angeles’ history.

The January wildfires disrupted ecosystems and displaced communities, including Heal the Bay’s own CEO, Tracy Quinn, yet the response was immediate and effective. Volunteers, neighbors, and supporters stepped up to care for one another and the environment, proving time and again that even the smallest actions can lead to a massive impact.

As we near the end of 2025, we’re proud to celebrate the impact we achieved together. Here are some of the milestones that demonstrate what’s possible when a community comes together for clean water, healthy ecosystems, and a thriving coast.

The Road Ahead

Celebrating 40 years of impact. This year, we celebrated 40 years of showing up for our region—honoring the work that began when our founder, Dorothy Green, took to the beach with a bullhorn and a belief that people could protect what they love.

Building a stronger, safer coastline for LA: As rising seas, toxic algal blooms, and climate change threaten public and coastal ecosystems, Heal the Bay scientists are advancing critical research and pushing for science-driven policies that protect people, wildlife, and coastlines.

Stopping plastic pollution at the source: Plastic waste is more than an eyesore. It shows up in our air, our food, and our ocean. Heal the Bay is confronting the problem upstream by strengthening bans on single-use plastics, partnering with the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games to promote reusable solutions, and holding plastic polluters accountable.

Turning awareness into action: From beach cleanups to climate education, we’re empowering Angelenos with hands-on tools to advocate for our coast and helping educators inspire the next generation of ocean stewards.

Your support makes this work possible. If you’re inspired by what we accomplished together in 2025, consider making a year-end gift to help us continue defending clean oceans and healthy coastlines for all.

DONATE

Read Less

Protect What’s Endangered This Giving Tuesday

12.01.2025 | Heal the Bay

Heal the Bay Aquarium

Update — Dec. 3, 2025: Thank you to all our generous Giving Tuesday donors for standing with our coast, our wildlife, and the next generation of ocean stewards. We couldn’t do this work without you.

If you’d still like to support Heal the Bay — and the work that helps protect the people, places, and wildlife you love — donate here. We’ve got big plans in store for 2026. And your support, in any amount, can help make it possible.

Donate Now

From devastating wildfires and toxic algal blooms to plastic pollution and climate change, California’s coastline, communities, and wildlife are at risk like never before. For endangered species like the sunflower sea star, giant sea bass, and tidewater goby, Heal the Bay’s science, education, and advocacy is a lifeline that can help save them from extinction. But our work is at risk, too.

That’s why this Giving Tuesday, Heal the Bay called on supporters to join us and our animal ambassadors to protect what’s endangered. Every gift helps save our work — and the endangered species who rely on it — from extinction.

Read on to learn more about how donations help support our endangered animal ambassadors.

Meet Heal the Bay’s Animal Ambassadors

Heal the Bay Aquarium cares for several endangered species, including a sunflower sea star, giant spotted sea bass named “Gordita”, and tidewater gobies rescued from waters impacted by the Palisades Fire.

Through education, advocacy, and science, including restorative aquaculture, Heal the Bay is helping save these species from extinction and restore their ecosystems. Aquarium visitors can meet some of them from 12-4 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday under the Santa Monica Pier.

The Sunflower Sea Star

Sunflower sea stars are one of the bay’s most important species. But after sea star wasting devastated populations in the 2010s, they’re now functionally extinct in California.

At Heal the Bay Aquarium, we are honored to care for one of only a few female sunflower sea stars in captivity in the entire state. We’re making groundbreaking strides in sunflower sea star recovery, with the long-term goal of raising and returning this endangered species to Santa Monica Bay so the ecosystem can thrive again. Our sea star’s story is one of resilience and of the power of advocacy, as she plays a vital role in this groundbreaking repopulation research.

Protecting this sea star means protecting the policies and advocacy that could help save her species.

The Giant Sea Bass

Giant sea bass are the largest bony fish along California’s coast, growing up to nine feet long and weighing as much as a full-sized grizzly bear. They can also live to 75 years old. Overfishing in the early 1900s pushed them to the brink, and today, they remain critically endangered.

“Gordita”, our resident giant sea bass, is one of Heal the Bay Aquarium’s most beloved ambassadors. Each year, she helps thousands of local students discover how protecting our coastline creates ripples far beyond the water.

The Tidewater Goby

Tidewater gobies are tiny but mighty endangered fish that play a big role in the food webs of California’s marshes, lagoons, creeks, and estuaries. Despite their resilience, they’ve been severely impacted by coastal development, habitat degradation, and the alteration of natural water flows.

After the January 2025 wildfires impacted the waters of Topanga Lagoon, Heal the Bay Aquarium helped care for a rescued a group of tidewater gobies from the contaminated conditions. We cared for them until their habitat recovered, and most have now been safely released back into the wild. Our team continues to care for the remaining gobies and is working to help strengthen and restore this fragile population.

Through our partnership with Santa Monica College, students in the Sustainable Aquaculture Certification Program are being introduced to these rescued gobies and learning how restorative aquaculture can support endangered species recovery.

Protecting at-risk species starts with science: the research, monitoring, and restoration work Heal the Bay uses every day to safeguard our coastal watersheds and the animals that depend on them.

How Our Work Is Helping

At Heal the Bay, we use science, education, and advocacy to protect our coast, communities, and wildlife through initiatives including:

Water-Quality Monitoring: Regular testing identifies pollution hotspots, monitors over 700 beaches for fecal indicator bacteria, and provides data that drives policy change.
Restorative Aquaculture: Breeding and release programs help vulnerable species recover while scientists learn what these animals need to thrive in changing ocean conditions.
Policy Advocacy: From plastic reduction to climate resilience strategies, science-informed advocacy ensures that regulations reflect the needs of our communities, wildlife, and ecosystems.
Education Programs: When students connect with marine life through hands-on experiences, they become the advocates and scientists who’ll protect these species for decades to come.

Why This Moment Demands Action

Federal protections for endangered species and critical habitats face ongoing challenges. Meanwhile, climate change and disasters accelerate.

When funding disappears, so do the knowledge, data, and community relationships that make conservation work. Despite mounting challenges, we remain optimistic. The endangered species that call Southern California’s coast home can recover, but only if the work protecting them continues.

Read Less

Thank You for Showing Up for Our Coast

11.27.2025 | Tracy Quinn

News

A group of people wearing Heal the Bay t-shirts pose for a photo in front of Venice Pier. In the center, Preston Lilly stands in front of his paddleboard.

Among our many generous supporters this year was high school student Preston Lilly, who paddled 21 miles during Coastal Cleanup Day 2025 to raise funds for Heal the Bay.

A message from Heal the Bay President and CEO Tracy Quinn:

As we head into the holiday season, I’ve been thinking back on 2025 — the challenges, the moments of hope, and the resilience this community showed.

The year started with a tragedy none of us will forget. Wildfires tore through our neighborhoods, destroyed homes, and left so many — including me — displaced.

As we tried to pick up the pieces, another wave of challenges emerged. Wildlife washed up on our shores, sickened by a toxic algal bloom. Environmental protections we fought so hard to win were rolled back. Funding for the work that protects our coast began drying up. And all of it amid mounting hardships on the people and communities that make Los Angeles home.

It would’ve been easy to give up. Accept defeat. No one would have blamed us. But time and time again, Angelenos showed us what strength and resilience look like.

And that’s why I want to say thank you to everyone who made a difference this year, not just for Heal the Bay, but also for our coast and the people and wildlife that call it home.

Thank you to our volunteers — nearly 20,000 of you — who cleared plastics and pollution from our beaches.

Thank you to the teachers across Los Angeles who joined our workshops and brought students to the Heal the Bay Aquarium for STEM field trips. With your help, we reminded thousands of young people that they have the power to rewrite the story of our oceans.

Thank you to our partners in advocacy and to the policymakers who continued fighting for the laws that safeguard our future.

And thank you to our donors. Your generosity, in every amount, made it possible for us to lead the science, education, and advocacy that our community relies on.

You are the reason I’m honored to lead this organization. You are why we do this work. And you are what has kept it going for the past 40 years.

At Heal the Bay, we talk a lot about resilience, how we can bounce back when it feels like all is lost. We can’t know what 2026 will bring. We do know there are big challenges ahead. But I’ve seen the strength of this community, and I’m confident we have what it takes to tackle whatever comes our way.

Even with everything we’ve been through this year, there’s still so much to be grateful for. For me, it’s this: After nearly a year of living out of a suitcase, storing my groceries in the office fridge, and navigating never-ending insurance claims, I’m finally moving back home. And I know that makes me one of the lucky ones.

So today, when I reflect on what I’m thankful for, I’ll think about this incredible place we get to call home. And I’ll think of you, our dedicated Heal the Bay community. Here’s to what we’ve weathered, to what we’ve rebuilt, and to everything we’ll keep fighting for — together.

– Tracy Quinn, Heal the Bay President & CEO

P.S. You can ensure that Heal the Bay has what it needs to protect our coast in 2026 — and help us save endangered species from extinction. Donate through our Giving Tuesday campaign and your gift will have twice the impact.

Read Less

Petition: Investigate DDT and Forever Chemicals

11.25.2025 | Heal the Bay

California Coast DDT News Take Action

Decades of toxic DDT and “forever chemicals” still linger in Santa Monica Bay, putting subsistence and recreational anglers at risk. Heal the Bay is urging the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment to call for new testing and update safety standards to protect our local anglers.

California has a responsibility to protect its residents from toxic pollution. Sign the petition to urge OEHHA to take the necessary steps to keep our angler community safe.

Sign Petition

Read Less

Progress, Setbacks, and the Work Ahead for California’s Environmental Legislation

11.12.2025 | Emily Parker and Heal the Bay

California California Bag Ban News Plastic Pollution

The 2025 legislative session was a tough one for California’s environmental advocates. Against the backdrop of devastating wildfires, raids impacting California’s immigrant communities, severe budget constraints across the state, and federal rollbacks that weakened environmental protections, many of our state’s most important environmental bills faced uphill battles as legislators were forced to reshuffle their priorities. Still, amid the challenges, we saw meaningful wins for ocean health and waste reduction. And we’re hopeful that a number of bills still in the pipeline will pass next year.

Below is a breakdown of the environmental legislation we’ve been tracking this year and where it stands as we head into 2026.

Major Wins for Our Environment

AB 1056 — Phasing Out Gillnets for Good

We’re thrilled to share a major victory for ocean conservation, and one that Heal the Bay has proudly supported every step of the way through support letters and direct lobbying on California Ocean Day in Sacramento. Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1056 into law, which will phase out the last remaining set gillnets in California.

Set gillnets are mile-long nets anchored to the ocean floor that often entangle high numbers of marine wildlife. This destructive gear dates back to 1915, so this victory has been a long time coming. Congratulations to our friends at Oceana, Resource Renewal Institute, and the Office of Assembly Member Steve Bennett who sponsored and championed this milestone legislation. Read the press release here.

SB 279 — Scaling Up Composting Statewide

Another bright spot this session was the passage of SB 279, which takes a major step toward building California’s circular economy by expanding access to composting programs across the state. Composting not only curbs greenhouse gases but also enriches soils, conserves water, supports local agriculture, and helps reduce pollution by making it even easier to use and dispose of compostable products, making this a win for both people and planet. This law strengthens California’s ability to divert organic waste from landfills, reducing methane emissions and helping cities and counties meet their climate goals.

Missed Opportunities

AB 823 — Expanding the Microbead Ban

We were deeply disappointed to see AB 823, vetoed by Governor Newsom. This bipartisan bill that passed both the Assembly and Senate would have expanded California’s existing microbead ban to include cosmetics, further protecting our waterways from harmful microplastics. The governor’s veto cited procedural concerns, but this decision undermines years of progress toward a plastic-free future.

This was an important measure to stop microplastics at the source. Heal the Bay will continue to push for stronger action on this front next year.

SB 45 — Tethered Caps on Bottles

SB 45 would have required tethered caps on beverage bottles, preventing loose plastic caps from polluting our beaches and waterways. This solution already exists in other parts of the globe, with producers adopting the tethered cap design. Unfortunately, the bill died earlier this spring. But it won’t stop our continued advocacy for targeted solutions and bigger, more comprehensive plastic-reduction policies that keep plastics out of our environment.

Bills Still in the Pipeline

Several promising bills didn’t cross the finish line this year but will return for consideration in 2026. We’ll be leveraging our advocacy efforts next year to ensure these proposals around pollution prevention, water justice, and waste reduction don’t stall out for good.

AB 762: Proposes a ban on disposable vapes to protect public health and reduce e-waste.

SB 561: Would create a manufacturer responsibility program for safely managing the disposal of unused emergency distress flares — explosives that poses serious safety risks.

SB 501: Would establish a producer responsibility program for household hazardous waste and require producers of that waste to provide a convenient collection and disposal system.

SB 350: Introduces the creation of a statewide water rate assistance program to ensure access to affordable, clean water.

SB 601: Would reaffirm California’s Clean Water Act protections following federal rollbacks.

AB 638: Was authored to provide state guidance for safely using stormwater as a non-potable water source.

Looking Ahead

Despite the challenges of this legislative season, our commitment to protecting our coast and communities remains as strong as ever. Every session brings new opportunities to advance policies that protect biodiversity, reduce pollution, safeguard clean water, and build a more sustainable Los Angeles.

We’ll continue advocating alongside our partners and community members to advance these bills that are still in the pipeline and ensure that California remains a global leader in ocean conservation and climate action.

Stay tuned for action alerts, local advocacy opportunities, and ways to raise your voice for clean water and healthy ecosystems.

DONATE

Read Less

19,000 Pounds of Trash Removed on Coastal Cleanup Day 2025

10.02.2025 | Heal the Bay

Coastal Cleanup Day

Coastal Clean Up Day 2025. The Stats. 6,772 volunteers. 19,139 pounds of trash removed. 610 pounds of recycling removed.

Trash didn’t stand a chance! Coastal Clean Up Day 2025 made waves of impact across LA in one unforgettable day. From the mountains to the beaches, YOU showed up for your Earth, your city, and your community. We are thrilled to announce the results!

6,772 volunteers
19,139 pounds of trash removed
610 pounds of recycling removed

This year, we saw it all: divers hauling debris from the deep, Preston Lilly paddling miles in support of Heal the Bay, and thousands of volunteers collecting even more trash and recyclables than in 2024!

See how volunteers captured Coastal Clean Up Day 2025 across LA County.

Help keep our beaches healthy and beautiful, one piece of trash at a time.

Join Our Next Clean Up

Support Our Work

Read Less

Annual Beach and River Report Cards 2024-2025

09.03.2025 | Heal the Bay

Beach Report Card Press Release River Report Card

Read our press release below or download here.

Water quality at many West Coast beaches and Los Angeles freshwater sites improved over the past year, according to Heal the Bay’s annual Beach Report Card and River Report Card, released today. The reports’ findings highlight both progress and persistent risks for millions of people who swim, surf, and play in local waters each year.

A near-record 62 beaches earned a spot on the nonprofit’s coveted Honor Roll with perfect A+ scores in 2024-2025. It was the highest Honor Roll count in over a decade. Only 12 beaches made the Honor Roll last year and just two in the 2022-2023 report. Freshwater sites also saw gains in the 2024 River Report Card, with 24 out of 35 graded safe for recreation.

But the good news comes with caveats. Climate “whiplash” is making water quality more variable. Dry years are generally bringing cleaner water — with less bacterial pollution washing into waterways — while wet years are dragging down grades. Persistent hotspots like the Santa Monica Pier, several San Diego County beaches, and the lower L.A. River remain unsafe despite improvement efforts. And January’s wildfires added a new layer of concern, underscoring the importance of Heal the Bay’s work to expand testing and monitoring in the wake of the disasters. “More beaches and rivers were safe for swimming than we’ve seen in years,” said Annelisa Moe, Heal the Bay’s Associate Director for Science & Policy. “But persistent pollution hotspots and new threats from climate extremes like wildfires make it clear that we can’t take clean water for granted. That’s why Heal the Bay is pushing for stronger infrastructure and policies to protect public health and our waterways.”

Download the Reports

Annual Beach Report Card

Annual River Report Card

Biggest Takeaways

1. Dry weather meant cleaner water, but climate extremes loom large. Nearly 9 in 10 beaches and more than two-thirds of freshwater sites were safe for recreating last year, likely thanks to a dry summer and winter. But progress is uneven, as climate extremes drive swings in bacteria levels and highlight the urgent need for resiliency planning.

2. Persistent hotspots show where work is most urgent. Trouble spots like the Santa Monica Pier, beaches along the U.S.-Mexico border, and stretches of the lower L.A. River remain unsafe year after year. Outdated sewage and stormwater systems, polluted runoff, and poor water circulation all contribute, underscoring the need for stronger infrastructure and controls.

3. Wildfires add layered threats to water quality. The January 2025 Palisades and Altadena fires washed ash, debris, and toxins into local waters, and early results suggest a link with worsened bacteria levels. Since Beach and River Report Cards only measure fecal indicator bacteria, more study is needed to assess impacts from wildfire-related contaminants like heavy metals. Heal the Bay is advancing this work through its Ash to Action initiative.

About the Reports

What are the Beach and River Report Cards?

Heal the Bay’s 35th annual Beach Report Card and 7th annual River Report Card take a deep dive into bacterial pollution trends at more than 700 beaches along the Pacific Coast and 35 freshwater sites in Los Angeles.

Each site gets an annual letter grade from A to F based on how much fecal indicator bacteria is found in the water during each testing season (summer dry weather, winter dry weather, and annual wet weather). The bacteria come from stormwater runoff, failing sewage systems, or other pollution, and they can cause illnesses like stomach flu, ear infections, upper-respiratory infections, and rashes. In short: The lower the letter grade, the higher the risk of getting sick.

All county health departments in California are required to test beach water quality samples for three types of indicator bacteria at least once a week during the summer season. Many counties also monitor heavily used beaches year-round. Heal the Bay compiles and analyzes the data to produce the annual Beach Report Card.

Freshwater sites don’t have the same monitoring requirements, so Heal the Bay deploys its own scientists with the Stream Team — students trained in field and lab techniques — and works with other local groups and municipalities to collect and analyze samples throughout the summer (May to September).

How is this different from the reports shared in May?

In May, Heal the Bay released a first look at this year’s Beach Report Card with a list of California’s Honor Roll beaches and bottom 10 Beach Bummers. Today’s release expands on those lists with deeper insights and annual grades for more beaches across California, Oregon, Washington, and Baja California.

The 2024 River Report Card was released today and includes annual grades and insights into 35 freshwater sites across Los Angeles.

How did the wildfires impact the reports?

The January wildfires delayed the full report release as Heal the Bay scientists worked to quickly assess how toxins from fire debris were impacting beach and water quality and notify the public about potential health risks beyond bacteria pollution. More information about Heal the Bay’s post-fire response work is available in a special section of the Beach Report Card (pgs. 52-54).

Note: The water-quality grades released today only reflect monitoring of fecal indicator bacteria. They do not include data related to testing for harmful heavy metals and other toxins that made their way to L.A.-area beaches following the Palisades and Altadena wildfires in January.

To follow along with Heal the Bay’s continued exploration of wildfire impacts and solutions, visit the Ash to Action webpage

What’s the difference between the annual and weekly report cards?

Weekly grades for beaches and freshwater sites monitored by Heal the Bay are available on the Beach Report Card (beachreportcard.org) and River Report Card (healthebay.org/riverreportcard) websites. These weekly grades are based on the most recent samples, offering a snapshot of bacteria levels to help people gauge their real-time risk.

The annual reports examine patterns and trends over longer periods to identify consistent problem spots, sources of pollution, and ongoing impacts. These findings help policymakers formulate solutions, aid scientists in improving testing and monitoring methods, and give the public a look at which waters are best avoided throughout the year.

If you care about science-based research that protects our coastline, watersheds, and public health, please consider donating to Heal the Bay. Your support powers critical water quality investigations and drives solutions for a more resilient Los Angeles.

Donate

Read Less

Heal the Bay Blog

Heal the Bay is ecstatic to announce A BIG WIN for the coast!

Read our 2024 Update: A Clean Start In Ventura

Support Heal the Bay’s mission to protect public health through clean water policy:

Read More:

Photo Credit: LA County Fire Department

Why does this matter?

The Road Ahead

Meet Heal the Bay’s Animal Ambassadors

The Sunflower Sea Star

The Giant Sea Bass

The Tidewater Goby

How Our Work Is Helping

Why This Moment Demands Action

Read our press release below or download here.

Download the Reports

Biggest Takeaways

About the Reports

If you care about science-based research that protects our coastline, watersheds, and public health, please consider donating to Heal the Bay. Your support powers critical water quality investigations and drives solutions for a more resilient Los Angeles.