Responding to an increase of contaminated waterways in the state, California’s State Water Resources Board plans to test its 3 million acres of rivers, streams and lakes, which may have been polluted with nastiness including bacteria and pesticides.

According to the San Jose Mercury News, the Environmental Protection Agency requires the state to come up with a list of potentially contaminated waterways under the Clean Water Act. The state has reported a 170 percent increase of polluted waterways since 2006, but the EPA says the increase is due to better data.

That explanation is of little comfort to California beach-goers, who have to live with the reality that their sandy playgrounds have been identified as having high bacteria levels.

EPA lists California’s polluted waters [Mercury News]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.