At the beach

A day at the beach can be wonderful when the conditions are right — bright sun, clear skies, pleasant air temperature, a few waves, depending on one's preference. Add another factor: water quality.

That is an important consideration because it involves health. Water fouled by oil, sewage or storm runoff can make swimmers ill. Stomach ailments, dysentery, hepatitis, skin rashes and even respiratory problems have resulted from contaminated water.

In 2009, there were 18,682 days of closures and advisories due to pollution and water contamination at saltwater and freshwater beaches across the country, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

As might have been expected, Gulf of Mexico beaches have seen 2,239 days of closures, advisories and notices so far this season, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The most contaminated beach water last year was in the Great Lakes region: 13 percent of water samples violated public health standards. The Great Lakes have won this dubious category for the last five years.

This is a "persistent problem," at beaches throughout America, said an NRDC official, who noted that 7 percent of the water-quality samples failed the "national health standard."