Originally published on Fox 4 by Anvar Ruziev on November 23, 2024
A recent report from the Calusa Waterkeeper highlights alarming levels of fecal bacteria in many Lee County waterways. Among the locations tested, Manuel Branch, a canal that runs near Cleveland Avenue and Canal Street, showed the highest levels of contamination, raising concerns for public health and safety.
Out of the 30 locations tested, only three returned good results. The rest fell into moderate to extremely poor categories. Some samples even showed bacterial levels exceeding 3,000 enterococci per sample—far above the Florida Department of Health’s advisory threshold of 70.
“We’re a first world country living with third world water quality problems here,” said Codty Pierce, Waterkeeper for the nonprofit Calusa Waterkeeper. “This is something that’s completely avoidable.”
Original Story