A new study released Thursday found that New Jersey beaches exceeded EPA levels for fecal bacteria more than 70 times in 2019.

The study was released by the Environment New Jersey Research and Policy Center. It found that two beaches, Beachwood Beach West in Beachwood and the 25th Street Bay Front Beach in Barnegat Light, each had nine exceedances and had bacteria levels above the EPA safety threshold more than 40% of the days tested.

“One day of a beach closing is too many. We need to keep our beaches safe for swimming by working with Shore towns to build the infrastructure that will keep the water clean,” Environment New Jersey Research & Policy Center director Doug O’Malley said in a statement. “In the summer of COVID, let’s commit to practicing social distancing, beating the virus and cleaning up our waters."

Experts say the water quality at the shore has improved greatly from the 1980s but that it still is affected by polluted runoff from roads and parking lots, overflowing sewer systems and farms.

The study comes as Congress is set to vote Friday on a major spending bill that includes an additional $11 billion for water infrastructure.