Gulf Water Quality Results

[Lake View Too]

Aren't we getting "drinking water" and recreational water quality a little confused? I would think the TDC had better get more involved in recreational water quality issues. The drinking water sounds like a state health department issue. I bet there are state websites available to explain what can be done to help protect water quality. Getting the BCC to do anything about it could be quite a different matter. How do our numbers compare to the adjoining counties, and is this an ongoing state-wide issue, would be my next two questions.

 

[mputnal]

Yes there are TWO separate problems. 1. Drinking water is a City of Freeport problem and this well is North of Freeport. The Department of Health monitors our drinking water quality. 2. Gulf and Bay water quality is a separate issue and unrelated to the drinking water problem. The TDC and BCC have the responsibility of making sure we have a safe environment (water quality should be a priority) utilizing State and Federal support. We as a community need to let these entitities know that poor water quality in any form is not acceptable.

 

[Lake View Too]

What I was getting at: are water samplings in the Gulf, in Walton, any different or worse than Bay or Okaloosa? How do they compare to other coastal counties? As far as the bay goes, it is fed by a river that comes from Alabama and Georgia, and all farmlands and asphalt run-off areas in between.

 

[mputnal]

The only way to answer these questions are to take water samples at the mouth of Choctawhatchee river, Black Creek, Mitchell river and basicly any fresh water creek dumping in the Bay. If the high fecal bacteria are there then it should also be where the bay dumps into the gulf. It is not that complicated or expensive to perform these test and the data would either rule out issues with livestock or maybe even septic system failures in specific locations. I do not see how asphalt would be a factor. We are not talking mercury or nitrogen which is a different problem and I would like to know these levels as well. I understand that cruise ships use to dump their waste in the ocean but I do not think we are close enough to those shipping lanes. By the way what do oil rigs do with their waste I wonder. Without biologist and civil engineers all we can do is to take more samples and ask more questions until we get some answers.

 

[NotDeadYet]

New Results, Oct 9, 2012. What is it with Holly St. ???

Site Name Enterococci Water Quality
SP-1 Miramar Beach 4 Good
SP-3 Dune Allen Beach 40 Moderate
SP-4 Blue Mountain Beach 20 Good
SP-5 Grayton Beach 84 Moderate
SP-7 Holly Street Beach 796 Poor
SP-8 Eastern Lake Beach 64 Moderate
SP-9 Inlet Beach Access 168 Poor

Water quality classifications are based upon United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) recommended criteria and Florida Healthy Beaches Program Categories:
Good = 0 - 35 Enterococci per 100 ml of marine
Moderate = 36 - 104 Enterococci per 100 ml of marine water
Poor = greater than 105 Enterococci per 100 ml of marine water

Health Advisories have been issued for Holly Street Beach Access and Inlet Beach Access based on the enterococci standard recommended by the EPA. This should be considered a potential health risk to the bathing public.

 

[heartbren]

I think people this is s serious issue with many people seriously worried about it. Until we know what the problem is it cannot be fixed. Someone must know who we can contact who can find a way to push forward and find some answers. This reminds me of the issue with the chemical plant in Erin Brockovich. Are we going to wait until locals and tourists get so sick and possibly develop serious health issues with possible long term affects (since we do not know the nature of the beast) before we find someone to help us get some answers. Since we don't know what they are, we do not know how serious they can be as well. There are so many questions with no real factual answers. As someone said, we will have no tourists if this continues this way and the locals will suffer due to financial problems from the lack of. Not to mention no one will want to go in the water.

 

[Andy A]

There are 9 beaches where the water was tested. 7 are rated good or moderate and 2 are rated poor. Having lived on the beach for nine years, it is my strong opinion the water quality conditions vary mostly due to environmental conditions. It is also my strong opinion that there is is some very unneeded and unwarranted over reaction to the reports.

 

[NotDeadYet]

There are 9 beaches where the water was tested. 7 are rated good or moderate and 2 are rated poor. Having lived on the beach for nine years, it is my strong opinion the water quality conditions vary mostly due to environmental conditions. It is also my strong opinion that there is is some very unneeded and unwarranted over reaction to the reports.

Not if Holly St happens to be your beach. It has had consistently terrible results all summer. Exactly what 'environmental condition' do you think that might be?

 

[mputnal]

What would be the harm in hiring an expert to research this problem?

 

[lauralbardin]

I dont think being concerned about water quality that has been bad most of the summer over reacting... Who wants to swim in sh*t??? Not me...