The L.A.-based nonprofit recently released its 2022-2023 report card on the ocean water quality at California beaches. While some of the findings are concerning — the heavy rains washed more pollutants into the ocean, which meant lower grades than usual during the winter — the waters fared much better in the warmer months. Last summer, 95% of the California beaches that were analyzed received an A or B grade, which is on par with the average.
Though there are certainly some local beaches you might not want to swim in, 19 L.A. County beaches received a sparkling A+ grade during the summer of 2022. These beaches had the safest concentrations of “fecal indicator bacteria,” meaning they posed a lower risk of illness to people who went in the ocean. Check them out below and see the exact test sample sites that received the A+ grade.