County parks are back to swimmable conditions
The Lee County Health Department is lifting its advisories on Bowditch, Lynn Hall and Bonita Park beaches. Water samples taken on Monday, Aug. 15, indicate enterococcus and coliform bacteria concentrations at these beaches have returned to safe levels for swimming.
A total of 18 beach locations were tested, and none were found to have bacteria contents over the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard. The Town of Fort Myers Beach requested the five additional public beach access waters samples that were tested this week over the standard 13.
On Thursday, Aug. 11, the Lee County Health Department posted an advisory on Lynn Hall and Bonita beaches as unsafe for swimmers due to high levels of bacteria identified in water sampling. The beach at Bowditch Point Park was posted earlier in the week, after not meeting the safety criteria for enterococcus and coliform bacteria recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Florida Department of Health.
At the time, officials believed water contact at any of these three beaches may pose an increased risk of disease, particularly for susceptible individuals.
Enterococcus and coliform bacteria normally inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and animals. The presence of an elevated concentration of these bacteria is an indicator of pollution, which may come from storm water runoff, pets, wildlife, or sewage.
The next routine beach water sampling of 13 public beaches will be taken on Monday, Aug. 22, 2011, with results available 24 hours later.
For more information, please view the internet website at www.leechd.gov select Services, Environmental Health, and then Healthy Beaches, or call the Lee County Health Department at 274-2200 between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.