The NRDC's annual survey of water quality and public notification at U.S. beaches found that aging and poorly designed sewage treatment systems and contaminated stormwater are polluting beachwater, which can cause skin rashes, pink eye, respiratory infections, hepatitis, and meningitis in beach goers. The NRDC is also pushing Congress to pass the Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act, which would require states to use rapid water testing methods and fund research to identify sources of beachwater pollution.