Florida Bill Wants Signs Posted by Creeks and Waters Contaminated by Fecal Bacteria

Originally published by WINK News on October 25, 2021

A new bill is calling for warning signs about what’s lurking underneath the surface of Florida’s waterways.

If the Safe Waterways Act becomes law, signs would warn people of fecal bacteria present in any body of water. Those behind the bill believe it can turn the tide for public health as thousands of miles and rivers are impaired.

“This isn’t just a Southwest Florida issue, it’s a statewide issue,” said Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani, who keeps tabs on Southwest Florida’s waterways. “There’s 9,000 miles of streams and rivers in Florida, verified impaired for fecal bacteria contamination, nearly a million acres of estuaries that are also verified impaired.”

Many of Florida’s coastal beaches are protected under a warning system, but rivers and creeks are not.