Delaware beach receives 5 stars

Delaware’s Dewey Beach, which is located in Sussex County, is one of 12 beaches in the country to receive 5-stars, issued by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Delaware has about 25 miles of Delaware Bay coastline, 115 miles of inland bay coastline, but it’s along the 26 mile Atlantic Ocean coastline where Dewey Beach is considered to be one of the most popular and cleanest beaches for people to visit.

The star rating is based on strong safety practices that include frequent water testing as well as current postings and advisories of water quality. The Natural Resources Defense Council evaluated 200 popular beaches around the country so far this year, and the only other area beach to receive 5-stars is in Ocean City, Maryland. Rehoboth Beach in Delaware received just 4-stars.

According to NRDC’s website, our nation’s beaches continue to experience significant water pollution that hurts local economies and puts the health of beachgoers and swimmers at risk.

As for Dewey Beach’s 5-star rating, the NRDC lists why the destination received top honors:

• Less than 5% of water samples exceeded national standards in 2009, 2010, and 2011

• Less than 5% of water samples exceeded national standards in 2011

• Local officials post advisories without re-sampling

• Closings/advisories posted online and at beach

• Water quality monitored more than once a week