A yearlong government-backed water quality study has revealed a disturbing trend in Goa’s coastal health: more than half of the state’s monitored beaches are unsafe for recreational use due to sewage contamination. Conducted between April 2024 and March 2025, the assessment highlights rising faecal coliform levels, high turbidity, and increasing alkalinity across some of the state’s most popular tourist destinations.
The report, released by the state’s pollution control board, found that 11 out of 20 beaches recorded faecal coliform bacteria levels above the safe limit of 100 MPN/100ML — a threshold designed to prevent health risks for beachgoers. Exposure to such conditions can cause skin infections, gastrointestinal illness, and more serious complications, especially for individuals with open wounds.
The highest contamination levels were recorded at one beach in South Goa, where unsafe levels persisted for ten straight months, with bacterial concentrations peaking at 350 MPN/100ML. Other beaches showed similar trends, particularly during and after the monsoon, when runoff and untreated sewage significantly impact water quality. Environmental experts attribute these patterns to untreated sewage outflows and inadequate drainage systems that fail to cope with monsoon runoff.
The situation is particularly concerning in urban beach stretches where population density and tourism-related pressure exacerbate pollution. Despite chemical indicators like pH and dissolved oxygen remaining within safe limits, the rise in bacterial contamination and turbidity — a measure of water clarity poses serious concerns for both human health and marine ecosystems.
Beaches with high turbidity during the monsoon become unsafe not just due to bacteria but also because of poor visibility, increasing the risk of accidents for swimmers and water sports enthusiasts. One beach, although recording relatively lower bacterial contamination, showed turbidity of 58.3 NTU during the monsoon.
With the monsoon intensifying and peak tourist seasons drawing closer, the report has reignited calls for urgent intervention. Advocates are demanding better sewage treatment facilities, stricter regulatory monitoring, and improved waste management to safeguard beachgoers and marine ecosystems.
