How safe is your favorite beach?

(WTNH) -- They may look nice, but a new study found that last year, the water quality at Connecticut's beaches was close to the bottom of the list of 30 US states with beaches.
 
"Out of 30, where do you think Connecticut ranked," News 8's Kent Pierce asked.

"I have no idea," replied Jason Palmieri, of Milford.

"Twenty-sixth worst, so there were only four more worse than Connecticut."

"Wow."

"Does that surprise you?"

"Yeah it does. It's the first I'm hearing about it."

• Read the full report

The numbers may not be quite as bad as they sound. The water is tested every week at Connecticut's beaches and the study looked at the percentage of last summer. Last year Tropical Storm Irene and a lot of summer rain washed pollutants into rivers that empty into the Sound. Experts say that's what caused the water to fail its tests.

"When there is heavy rain and an increase in runoff, that is a key indicator that possibly it wouldn't be that smart of an idea to go to a beach the next day," said Margaret Ruggiero, the West Haven Aquatics Director.
   
The worst number in the study comes from Green Harbor Beach in New London. 52% of the time its samples failed testing. Esker Point in Groton clocked in at 25%. Those are both at the mouth of the Thames River. Short Beach in Stratford failed 27% of the time, it's on the Housatonic River. Shady Beach and Marvin Beach are both near the mouth of the Norwalk River. Town Beach in Clinton failed 28% of the time. It's on a busy harbor near several small rivers.
   
Branford Point Beach failed 25% of the time, and people know it.

"I don't usually go in the water," said Vinnie Baglio, a Branford resident.

In West Haven, Seabluff Beach failed 30% of the time.

"I would hope that if it was that high of levels that somebody would shut if down and give us a warning to stay out, so hopefully we're okay," Palmieri said.

Connecticut beaches were shut down a total of 538 days last year to keep folks all safe from any nasty stuff in that water.