IS IT SAFE TO
GO INTO THE WATER?
FOR YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY
Miami Waterkeeper test these 13 sites in our Fort Lauderdale Waterways for bacteria levels
IS IT SAFE TO GO INTO OUR WATERWAYS?
According to marine water quality testing data provided by Miami Waterkeeper,
many test sites throughout Fort Lauderdale's waterways
are currently unsafe for recreational activities.
Any measurement exceeding 70 MPN (as you see above in the pink)
is considered risky and potentially dangerous.
High readings like these are often result from sewer line breaks or heavy rainfall.
However, many sites in the pink are on dates
with no recent sewer line break alerts and no heavy rainfall.
What is the exact causeof these concerning results?
Our R4R team has been requesting more informative safety signage in areas of our waterways that may be harmful for recreational activities.
Unfortunately this sign below
is what has been placed at a few sites that test frequently high:
We feel a more informative sign like this is needed.
Your thoughts?
Miami Waterkeeper conducts weekly bacteria level monitoring in Fort Lauderdale's waterways to keep you informed about water safety. You can easily access these results, along with the Department of Health's (DOH) Healthy Beaches testing data, through the free Swim Guide app or their website click here.
Both Miami Waterkeeper and the DOH perform water sampling every Monday morning, with the latest results available by Tuesday afternoon. If a site shows high bacteria levels, they are committed to re-testing daily until the issue is resolved.
The EPA has set the following standards for safe swimming water, which are used by DOH and Miami Waterkeeper:
0-70 CFU/MPN per 100 mL enterococci per sample: Safe for swimming
70+ CFU/MPN per 100 mL enterococci per sample: Not safe for swimming
Avoid waterway recreational activities
after heavy rain event.
Bacteria levels can become extremely high.
THE SAD STATE OF
FORT LAUDERDALE WATERWAYS
From one of our R4R member!
Jeff Maggio- Lunkerdog
IS IT SAFE TO GO INTO THE WATER?
Did you know that you can use this SWIM GUIDE App to check waterway quality conditions before you go to the beach or on our waterways?
FOR MORE IN-DEPTH WATER QUAILITY DATA VISIT MIAMI WATERKEEPER WEBSITE - THEY ARE THE SCIENTIST WHO TEST 10 SITES OF OUR FORT LAUDERDALE WATERWAY
CLICK HERE
Why you want to avoid water sports after severe rains! 70 is the threshold
SIGNAGE IS RECOMENDED BY THE EPA!
Warning - no swimming because of high bacteria levels.
​
Children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are the most likely populations to develop illnesses or infections after coming into contact with polluted water, usually while swimming. Fortunately, while swimming-related illnesses are unpleasant, they are usually not very serious. They require little or no treatment or get better quickly upon treatment, and they have no long-term health effects.
The most common illness associated with swimming in water polluted by sewage is gastroenteritis. It occurs in a variety of forms that can have one or more of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, stomachache, diarrhea, headache or fever. Other minor illnesses associated with swimming include ear, eye, nose and throat infections. In highly polluted water, swimmers may occasionally be exposed to more serious diseases.
Another potential source of illness includes some types of cyanobacteria that form algal “blooms” (discolored water) and the toxins they produce. When people are exposed to cyanotoxins, they may have hay fever-like symptoms, skin rashes, sore throat, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or even kidney or liver damage. Pets can be poisoned by drinking or swimming in toxin-contaminated water.
DID YOU KNOW MANGROVES ARE THE SUPERHEROES OF OUR ENVIRONMENT?
Along the coast of Southwest Florida, red tide is lingering. Through January 6, 2023, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission detected low to high concentrations in 59 samples collected from Pinellas to Charlotte County, as detailed in the image above.