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What a bummer.

One day from Memorial Day Weekend, and one local beach is getting a stinking rating from a statewide environmental group.

Capitola Beach ranked eighth on a 10 most polluted beaches in the state compiled by Heal the Bay, a Santa Monica environmental group. Capitola has regularly landed on the county’s list of beaches with high bacterial levels.

Capitola Beach is permanently posted with a sign warning visitors not to swim.

Recently, the beach east of the jetty re-opened, after being closed for 10 days because of a sewage spill.

Meanwhile, tests west of the jetty show elevated levels unfit for contact with human skin.

Heal the Bay blames Capitola Beach’s rating, and many of the other ratings, on an increase in the number of storms this past year. Those storms, egged on by overflowing sewer, storm drain and other water-processing facilities, added runoff pollution that boosted bacteria levels in the waters along many California beaches, Heal the Bay announced in Southern California on Wednesday.

In wet weather, when miles of street gutters and flood channels drain into the Pacific, 183 of 289 beaches tested by the group got F grades. But 253 of the beaches tested during dry weather earned A’s or B’s.

F-grade beaches showed high bacteria levels, which can cause gastrointestinal illnesses, ear, eye or skin infections to those who immerse themselves. A-grade beaches have no water-quality problems.

"Counties are getting permits to reduce pollution, but overall the implementation has been ineffective in reducing fecal matter," said Mark Gold, Heal the Bay executive director.

Gold said the amount of rainfall contributed to failing grades.

Doheny State Beach in Orange County, and Visitor’s Center and Campland on the Bay in San Diego, respectively, topped the group’s list of 10 "Beach Bummers." They had the poorest water quality in dry weather yearlong.

The other bummers, in order, were: Pacific Beach Point in San Diego County; Baby Beach in Orange County; Hobie Beach at Channel Islands Harbor in Ventura County; Campbell Cove State Beach in Sonoma County; Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro; Capitola Beach; East Beach at Mission Creek in Santa Barbara County; and Surfrider Beach in Malibu.

Sentinel staff writer Heather Boerner contributed to this report.

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