According to a recent report by environemttexas.org, if you're heading to a Texas beach this weekend, there's a chance that you might be swimming in #2. Fecal contamination makes beaches unsafe for swimming. Possible side effects from swimming in fecally contaminated water can be gastrointestinal illness as well as respiratory disease, ear, and eye infections, and skin rash. Every year in the U.S., people contract an estimated 57 million cases of recreational waterborne illness from swimming in oceans, lakes, rivers, and ponds Out of 268 beaches on the Gulf Coast 220 beaches, or 82% of the beaches tested, were potentially unsafe for at least one day in 2020. 75 beaches, 28% of those tested, were potentially unsafe on at least 25% of the days that testing took place.