Santa Monica State Beach: Pico Kenter storm drain
Tested by Los Angeles County, usually daily.
Taken 16 days ago. Results can take 1 to 3 weeks to be published, and many sites are tested less often in winter.
Every bacteria in this test: Total coliform 440 · E. coli 200 · Enterococcus 85. The grade follows the worst one against its own limit.
Grade B over 21 tests from Sep 29, 2026 to Oct 28, 2026. 7 were over the limit.
Passed, but close to the limit
The latest test was under the safe limit. Avoid swallowing water, keep cuts covered, and stay out for 72 hours after any rain.
County status: Advisory, checked Friday, Nov 13 (Los Angeles County Department of Public Health). The county’s posting is the final word.
Enterococcus over time
- Wednesday, Oct 28, 2026Total coliform 440 · E. coli 200 · Enterococcus 85
- Tuesday, Oct 27, 2026Total coliform 400 · E. coli 230 · Enterococcus 10
- Saturday, Oct 24, 2026Total coliform 17,000 · E. coli 7,300 · Enterococcus 5500.38 in of rain in the 3 days before
- Friday, Oct 23, 2026Total coliform over 24,000 · E. coli 2,500 · Enterococcus 3000.38 in of rain in the 3 days before
- Thursday, Oct 22, 2026Total coliform over 24,000 · E. coli 24,000 · Enterococcus 17,0000.38 in of rain in the 3 days before
- Wednesday, Oct 21, 2026Total coliform 86 · E. coli under 10 · Enterococcus 200.23 in of rain in the 3 days before
- Tuesday, Oct 20, 2026Total coliform 86 · E. coli under 10 · Enterococcus 10
- Saturday, Oct 17, 2026Total coliform 63 · E. coli 10 · Enterococcus 20
- Friday, Oct 16, 2026Total coliform 20 · E. coli 10 · Enterococcus under 10
- Thursday, Oct 15, 2026Total coliform 170 · E. coli 31 · Enterococcus under 10
Enterococcus and coliform bacteria live in the guts of people and animals. Health departments test for them because they travel with sewage, runoff and animal waste, so a high count is a warning that germs that do make people sick are likely in the water too. Clear water can still be contaminated: bacteria and viruses are too small to see.
San Diego County's DNA test (ddPCR) counts bacterial DNA instead of growing the bacteria in a lab, so it returns results the same day. Its numbers run higher than the older lab tests, which is why its safe limit is 1,413 rather than 104. The two are never compared on this page.
San Diego County's health department says swimming in water under an advisory can cause stomach illness, such as diarrhea and vomiting, and skin and ear infections. The EPA's national swimming guidelines are set at a level where about 32 to 36 of every 1,000 swimmers would get a stomach illness. A study of San Diego surfers found about 12 extra stomach-illness cases per 1,000 in wet weather, highest during rain and the day after, and back near normal 3 days later.
The grade is Nautical Nick's, built on the official limits: A is a quarter of the limit or less, B half or less, C under the limit, D over it, and F more than 10 times over. When a county posts an advisory or closes a beach, its sign is the final word.
Sources: California State Water Board beach test results; San Diego County Department of Environmental Health sample reports; Surfrider Foundation Blue Water Task Force; National Weather Service daily rain totals via the Iowa Environmental Mesonet (Burbank/Glendale, Los Angeles Downtown/Fhm, Los Angeles Intl). Limits: California Code of Regulations, Title 17, Section 7958.