The Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County has a message for beachgoers: steer clear of the water at certain popular spots. The health authority issued a swim advisory for Clearwater Beach near Mandalay Park, Sand Key County Beach, and Indian Rocks County Beach after monitoring showed higher than comfortable levels of enterococci bacteria. According to WFLA, "This should be considered a potential risk to the bathing public, and swimming is not recommended." Subsequent samples have been taken, with results pending.
This bacteria typically resides in the intestinal tract of humans, and animals and can indicate the troubling presence of fecal pollution. Sources such as stormwater runoff, pets and wildlife, and human sewage may all be contributing factors to this contamination. The Florida Department of Health caution, if you have open sores or cuts, it’s advised to keep them clean by washing with soap and water, followed by applying antibiotic cream. This advice is mentioned in reports by both Tampa Free Press and IONTB.
When the levels of enterococci bacteria surpass a certain threshold, it raises red flags about water quality and safety – in this case, levels exceeded the EPA's beach action value of 70.5 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters of water. These advisories are meant to keep the public informed and reduce the risk of exposure to contaminants that could lead to illness. The Florida Department of Health's Healthy Beaches Monitoring Program regularly tests for such water quality issues.
