This Miami Beach Has the Highest Bacteria Rates in Florida

Not every beach or waterway in Florida is a pristine stretch of white beach. One stretch of water in Miami is officially dirty.

The SurfRider foundation released their rankings of the top “Beach Bacteria Hot Spots” in the U.S., and it has declared Park View Kayak Launch in Miami Beach, Florida, as a bacteria hot spot, ranked at 90 percent. The water is highly polluted, making it unsafe for swimming. The Beach Bacteria Hot Spots that are ranked represent a variety of recreational waters, beaches, and access points that are important to local communities, but threaten public health.

During 2024, SurfRider’s Blue Water Task Force processed more than 10 thousand water samples from 604 sampling sites to determine which spots had unsafe levels of bacteria. The organization works to inform communities about public health, as well as advocate for the protection and clean-up of heavily polluted beaches. The Blue Water Task Force works year-round to provide public health protection even during the off-season when water samples generally are not being collected.

The problem at Park View Kayak Launch began when a sewer main broke in March 2020, flooding the water with pollution. Usually, pollution from a sewer main break only lasts for a few days, but for many reasons, including outdated infrastructure, the pollution has persisted at Park View Kaway Launch for years. The city has an action plan to address the issue, but despite efforts, the water continues to have unsafe levels of sewage in it.

“The Park View Canal “no contact with the water” advisory remains in place for the area adjacent to the kayak launch at 73 Street. Water sampling results continue to show a fecal indicator bacteria concentration that exceeds recreational water quality standards established by the Florida Department of Health,” the Miami Beach website states.

Visitors to Miami should be aware of the “no contact” order and avoid getting too close to the sewage-polluted water, as it could be deleterious for health until the waterway is sufficiently cleaned.

“At Surfrider, we believe everyone should have access to clean water to surf, swim, and play in. Improving coastal water quality has been one of our top priorities since the Surfrider Foundation was founded in 1984,” the SurfRider website states.