Fecal bacteria is back in Lee County waters, and it’s worse than you think.
Over the weekend, the Calusa Waterkeeper, an environmental watchdog in Lee County, surveyed recreational waterways around Lee County and found high levels in places like Whiskey Creek, Manatee Park and the Estero River.
Fecal bacteria isn’t new to Lee County, earlier this summer, Bonita Beach had Department of Health advisories warning swimmers about it. However, John Cassani from Calusa Waterkeeper blames this latest reading on recent rains causing septic systems to fail.
“So we feel it’s important that people know that these recreational waters are pretty badly contaminated,” Cassani said.
Instead of testing designated “Bathing Areas”, Calusa Waterkeepers tested “Recreational Areas” finding levels as high as 5,000 per 100 ml in Whiskey Creek.
“So that’s why we sample all these recreational waters, because DOH is not monitoring these water bodies, so the public needs to know, if you fall out of your boat, or tube if you are water skiing, or jet skiing, you’re going to be in the water,” he said.
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