Swimming Advisories Lifted During Last Scallop-Harvesting Weekend

PASCO COUNTY, FL — Just as the final weekend of bay scallop season gets underway, water quality advisories have been lifted on four Pasco County beaches.

The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County has lifted the water quality advisories for Robert J. Strickland Beach, Brasher Park Beach, Robert K. Rees Park Beach and Gulf Harbors Beach as a result of a water sampling done Wednesday.

The swimming advisory was based on the presence of enterococci (intestinal bacteria).

There was no advisory in effect for Anclote River Park Beach, a favorite scallop-hunting location.

The Department of Health's Florida Healthy Beaches Program monitors coastal beach water by testing marine water samples every two weeks from March through October in Pasco County.

DOH-Pasco analyzes coastal beach water samples for enterococci, which normally inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and animals. This type of bacteria is considered a potential risk because it may cause disease, infections or rashes. The presence of enterococci is an indication of fecal pollution, which may come from storm water runoff, pets and wildlife and human sewage.

Last year, bacteria levels at 187 Florida beaches indicated that water was potentially unsafe for swimming on at least one day, according to a new report, Safe for Swimming? by the Environment Florida Research and Policy Center.

“Whenever it is safe for us to go to the beach, it should also be safe for us to swim in the water,” said Jenna Stevens, state director for Environment Florida Research and Policy Center. “All too often that is not the case. We can and must do a better job of keeping waste out of our water.”

To assess beach safety, the group examined whether fecal indicator bacteria levels exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s most protective “Beach Action Value,” which is associated with an estimated illness rate of 32 out of every 1,000 swimmers. South Beach on Key West had bacteria levels above this safety threshold on 51 percent of days tested last year.

Other Florida beaches found potentially unsafe for swimming at least once in 2019 were:

• Robert K. Strickland Beach
• Crandon Park- South
• Higgs Beach
• Bayou Chico

However, many cities in Florida have used the Clean Water State Revolving Fund as well as state and local funding sources to invest in clean water infrastructure to prevent this kind of pollution.

“As stewards of the Earth, it’s our duty to conserve and protect the beautiful beaches that line our coasts. It’s no secret that our economy depends on clean water, and families deserve nothing less than to be able to safely enjoy the beaches we have been blessed with. It’s why we must continue fighting to fund clean water infrastructure projects,” said U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist.

Several local beaches, like Pass-A-Grille and Fort DeSoto North Beach, had zero exceedances on days when testing occurred.

“The award-winning Tampa Bay Beaches are a treasured destination for people from all over the world. Healthy waterways are essential to the tourism industry, Florida’s No. 1 industry,” said Doug Izzo of the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce. “Residents and visitors chose our location expecting clean waters and white sand. With dirty waterways, those expectations would quickly fade costing the state billions of dollars.”

Polluted runoff from roads and parking lots, overflowing or failing sewer systems, and farms are common sources of contamination that can put swimmers’ health at risk and lead authorities to close beaches or issue health advisories. Scientists estimate that 57 million instances of people getting sick each year from contact with polluted waters in the U.S.

"Regardless of your status, privilege, race, occupation or location, we all need clean water to drink, grow our food and swim in, particularly here in Florida. Our health and our family's health depends on it. That's why it's so important for governments to track and address known sources of pollution," said Dr. Ankush Bansal.

The report recommends major investments to prevent sewage overflows and runoff pollution. On Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the “minibus #1” spending package, which includes an additional $11 billion in emergency water infrastructure funding

“Let’s make our beaches safe for swimming by building the infrastructure that will keep the water clean,” said Stevens. “Whenever it is safe to go to the beach, let’s make sure it’s safe to go swimming in the water too.”

The 10-day bay scallop season in Pasco County continues through Sunday, July 26. This region includes all state waters south of the Hernando-Pasco county lines, north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse in northern Pinellas County and all waters of the Anclote River.

See related story: Bay Scallop Season In Pasco County Runs July 17-26