Are South Florida waterways really clean enough for swimming?

Florida’s seashores draw 1000’s of vacationers every year, along with residents who swim or surf within the ocean. But extra usually than the general public realizes, fecal micro organism is current at excessive ranges in some swimming areas.

In December alone, the state well being division for Palm Seaside County collected samples for routine monitoring that exposed three seashores had fecal bacterial ranges thought-about unsafe. A type of, Dubois Park in Jupiter, had ranges larger than the usual pointers 15 instances throughout routine checks in 2024.

A fourth location, Phil Foster Park in Riviera Seaside, had bacterial ranges in December so excessive that the well being division categorised the water as poor high quality. It was the twelfth time in 2024 that water samples at Phil Foster Park examined above what’s thought-about regular bacterial ranges.

The well being departments within the state’s coastal counties take a look at seashores for fecal micro organism, referred to as enterococci, as a part of the Florida Wholesome Seashores program. Nevertheless, the state program checks the waters each two weeks, checks solely a restricted variety of places, and depends on the judgment calls of native well being officers with regards to telling the general public about micro organism in seaside water that exceeds the extent established by state pointers.

“There’s inconsistency in how the principles are interpreted and when swim advisories are offered to the general public,” stated Katie Bauman, Florida Coverage Supervisor for the Surfrider Basis. “We’d like constant monitoring and notification to let individuals know when water just isn’t at a secure degree. There must be conspicuous signage when the water checks poor. Some counties do that, and others do not.”

Swimming in water with excessive ranges of fecal micro organism can result in well being issues reminiscent of gastroenteritis (vomiting, diarrhea, abdomen cramping). It might additionally irritate the pores and skin, eyes, nostril, throat and lungs.

When counties get a “poor” take a look at outcome from a water pattern, they’ve two selections: Warn the general public instantly or take a look at once more. If a second take a look at turns up a “poor” outcome, native well being departments should warn the general public. The Palm Seaside County workplace of the state well being division points a seaside advisory after the primary poor take a look at. The Broward and Miami-Dade workplaces of the state well being division each look ahead to a second take a look at.

The Surfrider Basis is a nationwide grassroots community devoted to defending the ocean with native chapters in South Florida. It established a Blue Water Activity Power of volunteers who take a look at further leisure water websites within the tri-county space extra repeatedly than the well being division.

Take warning throughout South Florida

In Broward, the well being division checks 13 places each different week. In December, all places examined at regular ranges. Nevertheless, the Blue Water Activity Power volunteers examined water high quality all through 2024 at 15 further Broward websites used for leisure swimming or water actions. The duty drive publishes the outcomes on-line.

4 websites that job drive volunteers examined in December had excessive ranges of micro organism: the long run courthouse web site at Southeast Third Avenue, south of the New River; Tarpon Cove Park in Fort Lauderdale; West Rio Vista; and Pompano Pier.

Mike Scully, who had been a type of volunteers, stated water foremost breaks in Broward County over the previous few years have spilled sewage into the seashores and waterways, and a few of these leaks are ongoing. He advises anybody swimming, paddleboarding or kayaking within the county’s waterways or seashores to test websites like Surfrider and Swim Information beforehand.

Christi LeMahieu, Blue Water Activity Power Lab Director in Miami-Dade, stated her volunteers usually discover excessive fecal bacterial ranges, notably in Biscayne Bay. She attributes the county’s polluted seashores to elements reminiscent of rain runoff, sewage spills, and growing older infrastructure programs. “That is attributable to the expansion within the inhabitants and a wastewater infrastructure that has not stored up.”

Easy methods to keep away from a well being danger

LeMahieu advises educating your self earlier than doing any water or seaside exercise. You are able to do that by checking the Florida Wholesome Seashores web site in addition to Surfrider and Swim Information.

“In case you see a seaside has excessive ranges of micro organism regularly, keep away from it,” she stated. “Wash off afterward, and do not go in with open wounds or in case you are immunocompromised.”

Water-quality advocates have tried and didn’t get state lawmakers to enhance water high quality monitoring and a beachgoer’s notification system for the final two years. Bauman stated she is hopeful it would occur in 2025.

Already, Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, a Highland Seaside Republican, has filed the HB 73 referred to as the “Secure Waterways Act.”

It will shift oversight of water high quality from the Division of Well being to the Division of Environmental Safety; set up real-time alert programs for the general public on sewage spills, bacterial outbreaks and different air pollution occasions; and require a public web site and emergency alert system be established to inform the general public about seaside closures. Bauman stated her group helps this invoice.

“We wish to see elevated regularity of testing, extra websites examined, and higher public notification,” Bauman stated.

What about pink tide?

Pink tide can be recognized to be current on Florida’s seashores and causes well being issues for swimmers.

On Florida’s west coast, as of Jan. 2, there are experiences of low ranges of pink tide (karenia brevis) from St. Petersburg to Fort Myers and excessive ranges close to Sanibel Island. Folks can swim in pink tide, however it may trigger pores and skin irritation and burning eyes. Pink tide also can trigger issues reminiscent of coughing and sneezing in individuals with respiratory situations.

Pink tide is discovered primarily within the Gulf of Mexico. It has been reported prior to now on Florida’s east coast however just isn’t current right now.

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