Five of the 10 dirtiest beaches in California are in San Mateo County, with Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica ranking third worst, according to an annual report from an environmental group. While Linda Mar faces the Pacific Ocean, the other San Mateo County beaches that scored poorly were all located in enclosed areas or along the bay with poor water circulation, according to the 2022-23 report by the nonprofit organization Heal the Bay. The report looks at water quality at beaches from the Tijuana, Mexico, area to Washington state. The winter rains that gave California coastal counties about 50% more water than usual are not to blame for the low rankings, even though that’s when the most pollutants get into the water.

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• San Francisco Chronicle: Opinion: Why this Bay Area beach is one of the most bacteria-ridden in the U.S.