Cut The Crap! Let's Clean Up Linda Mar Beach

Systemic water quality issues continue to impact Linda Mar State Beach in Pacifica. The Surfrider Foundation San Mateo County Chapter has monitored water quality at the mouth of San Pedro Creek through its Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) program for more than 12 years. In 2025, water samples collected where the creek meets the ocean failed to meet state and federal health standards for fecal indicator bacteria 72% of the time, meaning nearly three out of four samples contained bacteria levels considered unsafe for swimming and surfing.

Armed with years of community science data, Surfrider San Mateo County is working with the Linda Mar Water Quality Coalition — which also includes Salted Roots, San Pedro Creek Watershed Coalition, Cultivar Foundation, and Pedro Point Surf Club — to investigate pollution sources, raise public awareness, and advocate for long-term solutions to this ongoing public health and environmental justice issue.

In addition to weekly enterococcus and E.coli testing at multiple locations along San Pedro Creek, the coalition launched DNA-based microbial source tracking in 2025 to identify whether pollution is coming from human or animal sources. Early findings indicate elevated levels of human fecal contamination during and after rainstorms, helping focus attention on potential sewage infrastructure failures and polluted urban runoff within the watershed.

The coalition is committed to collaborating with the City of Pacifica and the San Mateo County Health Department to advance meaningful solutions at Linda Mar Beach, including:

• Improved beach signage and public notifications when water quality poses a risk to human health
• Expanded water quality monitoring and microbial source tracking throughout the San Pedro Creek watershed
• Investigation and repair of failing sewer infrastructure and other sources of fecal pollution
• Increased collaboration with local agencies to develop long-term pollution reduction solutions
• Greater public education around safe recreation practices and storm-related water quality risks

If you visit Linda Mar Beach, we recommend surfing north of the San Pedro Creek outlet to minimize your contact with polluted water. If you and your family are playing on the beach, we recommend avoiding the creek and washing off with clean water afterward if you do have contact with the creek.