Contaminated Sarasota beaches closed for swimming, but not because of red tide

Sarasota County health officials have ordered a no-swim order for several beaches due to a high presence of the enterococcus bacteria often associated with fecal matter.

The following beaches are under a no-swim advisory.

• Longboat Key.
• Bird Key Park/ Ringling Causeway.
• Turtle Beach.
• Nokomis Beach.
• Brohard Beach.
• Casperson Beach.
• Manasota Key.
• Blind Pass.

The bacteria was found during water quality testing, which found high levels during testing on Aug. 2, but the no-swim advisory wasn’t issued late Thursday afternoon.

The levels were “outside acceptable limits,” according to the Sarasota Department of Health. “The beaches remain open, but wading, swimming and water recreation is not recommended if no-swim advisories are in place.”

The bacteria also can be created when heavy amounts of dying vegetation are present, but also forms due to the presence of human, animal or wildlife fecal matter.

Signs announcing the advisories will be placed at each beach until the Environmental Protection Agency determines bacteria amounts fall back below “recreational water quality standards.”

New sampling will be done Friday.

“Enterococcus bacteria can come from a variety of natural and human-made sources,” according to the health department. “These include pet waste, livestock, birds, land-dwelling and marine wildlife, stormwater runoff, and human sewage from failed septic systems and sewage spills.”

No sewage spills have been reported within one mile of the posted beaches in the past two weeks, county health officials noted.

Health officials said decaying algae and “numerous dead and decaying fish associated with red tide” are likely contributing causes. These heavy areas of decaying matter attract shorebirds and other wildlife, acting as “natural bacteria reservoirs,” health officials said.

Recent rains causing heavy stormwater runoff also are a likely cause, according Tom Higginbotham, health department administrator for Sarasota.

“When these bacteria are found at high levels in recreational waters, there is a risk that some people may become ill,” Higginbotham said. “People, especially those who are very young, elderly or who have a weak immune system that swallow water while swimming can get stomach or intestinal illnesses. If water contacts a cut or sore, people can get infections or rashes.”

To help keep beach water safe for swimming and recreation, do not allow pets to roam on beaches and in park areas and pick up pet waste. Additionally, children in diapers and people of all ages with diarrhea should not go into the water.

“It is important to continue monitoring beach conditions when planning a trip to one of our many beach destinations,” Higginbotham said. “Please follow the consistent Mote Beach Conditions reports for up-to-date news and info. There, you can find several types of information about Southwest Florida beaches during Red Tide events.”

Those visiting beaches are reminded to take appropriate actions to protect against COVID-19 while at the beach by practicing social distancing, wearing a mask, practicing good hand-washing habits, and above all staying at home when you’re sick, Higginbotham noted.

For more information

• Visit https://ourgulfenvironment.net and click on water monitoring and then bacterial testing to check beach water testing results of area Gulf beaches.

• Call 941-BEACHES (941-232-2437) or visit www.visitbeaches.org. Click on the same link to the mobile-friendly version of the beach conditions report.

• The local visitor and convention bureau known as Visit Sarasota County also provides extensive information about the Sarasota area, including its beaches. The website is www.visitsarasota.org.

• FWC is doing twice weekly updates on red tide for the state at https://myfwc.com/research/redtide/statewide/, including a sampling map that is updated daily.

• NOAA has a Gulf of Mexico HAB forecast (updated twice weekly while the bloom persists) that can be found at https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/hab/gomx.html.

This story was originally published August 6, 2021 at 7:56 AM with the headline "Contaminated Sarasota beaches closed for swimming, but not because of red tide."