Even when ocean beaches' bacterial levels are aligned within state health standards, beachgoers can get sick from pathogens from urban runoff, mostly human and animal waste. Although the number of people who get sick is small, about 0.8 percent, the cost can be high in treatment and lost wage according to a new study, reports author Sara Lin. Looking at data from two Orange County beaches, the study shows that more than 5 million people swam in the water from 1998 to 2000, resulting in 36,000 cases of gastrointestinal illness and about 38,000 other ailments, costing about $3 million annually in health-related expenses. This does not include the price of self-treatment or the loss to the tourism industry. The annual health expenses are not far off the cost of cleaning up coastal waters ($5.5 million for Newport Beach).