Originally published on WGCU by Tom Bayles on September 11, 2024
“We test water bodies throughout our jurisdiction and that has been one area that routinely comes back extremely high,” said Connie Ramos-Williams, the director of Calusa Waterkeeper. “When we see things like that, our public needs to know when things are not quite right.”
Calusa Waterkeeper sampled water in Manual’s Branch last month and found the level of Enterococcus measured 21 times higher than the Florida Department of Health’s safety level and 44 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s limit.
The high levels of fecal bacteria in the creek can cause a range of symptoms, from stomach problems and headaches to ear infections and fever. In some cases, the effects can be even more severe.
Calusa Waterkeeper knows what the level of Enterococcus is, but the source of the contamination isn’t clear. It could be from human waste, animal droppings, or a combination of both. The environmental group is working with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the City of Fort Myers to address the issue.
Original Story