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Local Beaches Fare Well In Water Quality Study

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By BILLY HOUSE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 30, 2008

WASHINGTON - Beaches in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Sarasota counties last year were found to have risky pollution levels for swimmers less often than the rest of the nation, says an environmental watchdog group.

In the Tampa Bay area, only Pasco County's beaches had a slightly higher percentage of water samples exceeding bacteria safety limits than the U.S. average of 7 percent, a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council said Tuesday.

None of the region's beaches come close to being rated as having among the nation's - or even Florida's - worst water quality, the council said.

The nonprofit group used data from the Environmental Protection Agency to compile its report, "Testing the Waters: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches."

The group says the largest known source of beach water pollution continues to be contamination from stormwater, which carries sewage and pollution to the beach when it rains.

Unknown sources of pollution also are a frequent cause of health advisories or beach closings nationally.

Water monitoring, done weekly in Florida, is important, says the council, because high bacterial levels leave beachgoers vulnerable to a range of waterborne illnesses. Those can range from gastroenteritis, dysentery, hepatitis, respiratory ailments and other serious health problems.

For senior citizens, small children and people with weak immune systems, the results can be fatal.

In Florida, an average of 4 percent of the water-quality samples taken weekly exceeded the bacterial standards. The regular water-quality checks were done at 308 of the state's coastal beaches, selected for the monitoring based on usage and other criteria.

The monitoring is carried out locally, but overseen by the state Health Department.

The council's report found:

•Hillsborough County's beaches mirrored the statewide average of 4 percent of water samples exceeding bacteria safety limits, as did Sarasota County's beaches. Hillsborough's beaches at Cypress Point North, Simmons Park, Davis Islands and Cypress Point South did not exceed bacteria safety limits in any of the more than 50 water samples taken at each beach. The worst rate of the nine Hillsborough beaches that were regularly monitored for bacteria was at Ben T. Davis South, where 12 percent of the 60 water samples exceeded the safety levels.

•Pinellas County beaches exceeded the bacterial safety limits, on average, in 5 percent of water samples. Of the 15 beaches regularly monitored in the county, Indian Rocks, Sand Key and Belleair Causeway were those that did not have any samples exceed the bacterial limits.

•Of the 16 Sarasota County beaches monitored, none of the more than 50 samples from each of the beaches at South Lido, Blind Pass, and Manasota exceeded bacteria safety standards. Ringling Causeway had the worst rate, with 8 percent of its 59 samples exceeding the limit.

•Pasco County's beaches exceeded the bacteria safety standards, on average, in 8 percent of water samples. None of the 62 samples taken at Anclote River Park Beach exceeded the bacterial safety limits. The worst rate was at Robert J. Strickland Beach, where 19 percent of the 62 samples exceeded the standards.

"Any time you have high bacterial levels it makes people nervous," said David Polk, the state health official in charge of making sure counties conduct beach monitoring programs.

Polk said Florida has shown, overall, to have "very good water quality" and "I think it's a fairly accurate report."

Reporter Billy House can be reached at (202) 662-7673 or bhouse@tampatrib.com.

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