Of the 30 states with beaches, Texas ranks a relatively good eighth in terms of the quality of its beach water.

A report released Today by the National Resources Defense Council says 5 percent of the Texas beach water it sampled last year exceeded national standards for bacteria and fecal matter. Delaware and New Hampshire had the best water. Louisiana, where 29 percent of samples were contaminated, had the worst.

Avalon Beach in California ranked as the dirtiest beach overall in terms of beach water. On the plus side, South Padre Island ranks among the environmental group’s five-star beaches for water quality.

“The 2011 results confirm that our nation’s beaches continue to experience significant water pollution that puts swimmers and local economies at risk,” the report states.

The largest source of pollution is stormwater runoff, which can trigger harmful sewage overflows.