South Beach is the most polluted popular swimming spot in the U.S., study says

Tourists flock to South Beach for the sun, sand and sea (and also to take turns posing outside the former Versace mansion). But they might want to reconsider going into water, according to a new study.

British retailer Myprotein, which sells sports nutrition products including supplements, protein powder and other health-forward items that are not as much fun as eating French fries, just released a report that says South Beach is the most polluted popular swimming spot in the U.S.

That doesn’t mean it’s the most polluted body of water in the country. That is probably some place in New Jersey. But it does mean the occasional shark or that kid over there not making it to the restroom in time are not your biggest problems should you decide to go for a swim in Miami Beach.

The report analyzed more than 1,500 of what Myprotein is fond of calling “wild swimming spots” in the U.S. That means places you can swim that aren’t pools, although let’s be real, the Clevelander pool can get pretty wild at times.

The study looked at Tripadvisor ratings for each place, including the number of reviews to determine popularity, then cross referenced that with details about the water quality in each spot, using United States Environmental Protection Agency data.

Here are their rankings of the worst spots:

Miami Beach director of Environment and Sustainability Elizabeth Wheaton said the data was not scientific and released the following statement:

“The nutritional supplement and clothing company MyProtein did not use scientific data when making the false claim that South Beach is the most polluted popular swimming spot in the U.S. Tripadvisor ratings were used to determine popularity and then cross-referenced with details using US EPA data that is not refined for specific water quality parameters or specific locations. The Florida Department of Health conducts weekly sampling at popular recreational swim locations in Miami-Dade County, including the city’s beaches as part of their Florida Healthy Beaches Program. Based on weekly sampling results, there is no indication that there is any pollution concerns in South Beach.”

A swim advistory was issued for two Miami Beach spots on Aug. 11 at 53rd Street and Northshore Ocean Terrace at 73rd Street ( technically that’s not South Beach).

Other popular Florida beaches fared in Myprotein’s assessment of the worst water quality: Clearwater (2), Fort Lauderdale (3), Siesta Beach (4) and Panama City Beach (7). Travel website Holidu recently reported that Siesta Key was the no. 1 beach on everybody’s Florida Bucket List. Might be time to reconsider.

The cleanest popular swimming spot is Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, followed by La Jolla Cove in California and Ka’anapali in Hawaii.

Florida beaches with decent water quality, including a few in (or near) the Florida Keys, were: Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park in Key West (4); John Pennecamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo (5); Fort Myers Beach (6); Dry Tortugas National Park west of Key West (7); St. Augustine Beach (10); and Cocoa Beach (12).

This story was originally published August 11, 2021 at 12:34 PM.