Day At The Beach? The Water's Fine

America's beaches scored a 95 percent on the Environmental Protection Agency's annual beach scorecard. That means that of 676,000 beach days in 2006, fewer than five percent were restricted due to water contamination that can result from the runoff following heavy rains, which can carry chemicals, sewage and other contaminants into bathing areas. "We're seeing progress in keeping America's beaches clean but significant challenges remain," said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Benjamin H. Grumbles. "The administration is committed to working with our partners to prevent pollution, monitor water quality, and provide the public with timely and useful information on beach closures and advisories." The NRDC, a leading national environmental group, paints a much different picture. According to the group, the EPA's own data shows that one in 10 American beachgoers -- about 7 million people in all -- is at risk from becoming ill due to poor water quality. The NRDC offers these five tips to ensure a safe day at the beach: 1. Choose a beach that tests clean. Check this NRDC site to see if your favorite beach is being tested. 2. Do your part to keep water clean. Visit this site for tips. 3. Don't swim for at least 24 hours after a storm, particularly if you have cuts or scratches on your skin. Runoff can carry pathogens that cause infections. 4. Use zinc oxide sunscreens that appear white. A avoid those made with titanium dioxide, zinc dioxide or "nano" or "micro" ingredients, because the safety of these substances are more easily absorbed by the skin and have not yet been tested for safety. 5. Choose seafood carefully because many species are overfished or may contain contaminants like mercury or PCBs. For a list of the best species to choose, click here.