A now-viral video is raising eyebrows in San Diego after it showed dozens of junior lifeguards wading into the water at Santa Clara Cove in Mission Bay, right where a county bacteria advisory is in effect. Parents and environmental advocates are voicing concerns about kids training in contaminated water, and city lifeguard staff say junior lifeguard water activities have been moved out of the cove until further notice.
Video and immediate reaction
According to FOX5 San Diego, the footage was recorded on Tuesday at Santa Clara Cove and appears to show multiple age groups splashing and training in the water behind posted warning signs. The station reports that the City of San Diego's junior lifeguard program confirmed it has shifted on-water activities to other locations while the advisory remains in place.
County advisory remains in place
The County of San Diego's Beach and Bay dashboard still lists Santa Clara Cove under an advisory, telling the public to avoid water contact there. County postings and shoreline signs serve as the alert system while officials collect and process follow-up water quality samples.
What the testing shows
FOX5 San Diego reported that a June 4 sample from Santa Clara Cove measured 2,369 enterococci per 100 milliliters, more than 20 times the state's recreational standard. San Diego Coastkeeper notes that elevated bacteria levels can lead to skin and gastrointestinal infections and has recently flagged Mission Bay's creek inflows in its own monitoring.
Program response and public updates
The junior lifeguard program says it has moved on-water sessions out of Santa Clara Cove while county staff and volunteer groups conduct follow-up testing. County officials maintain a public hotline and continue to update the Beach and Bay dashboard as new lab results come in.
Broader context
San Diego Coastkeeper's recent Mission Bay monitoring and its 2025 report point to chronic bacteria spikes linked to stormwater and creek inflows, and call for more funding to repair aging stormwater infrastructure. The group says its volunteer sampling is designed to push for targeted investigations and longer-term fixes.
Parents and advocates say the episode is a reminder of how quickly water quality can shift at popular recreation spots, and why shoreline warnings matter. Officials say they will release further updates as additional lab results become available.
