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Guest opinion: Floridians have the right to know if our waters are safe —

Quarterman MMJFI In: Guest opinion: Floridians have the right to know if our waters are safe -- | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River

 

Quarterman MMJ In: Guest opinion: Floridians have the right to know if our waters are safe -- | Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR) | Protecting the Santa Fe River

 

This problem is not limited to Florida south of I-4, it is here in North Florida as well.  Thanks to OSFR’s Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson and Suwannee RiverKeeper John Quarterman, more monitoring of the the Suwannee River, into which the Santa Fe flows, has shown the frequent toxic episodes which occur.

The fecal matter that Cassani points out below is but one toxic element; we also have to contend with poisonous algae which can cause death to dogs and ill effects on humans.   These algae are caused mainly by excess fertilizer, nitrates from septic tanks and decreased flow in our springs and rivers from the over-pumping allowed by our DEP  and water managers.

Fixes for all this are possible but will cost lots of money and the State of Florida has decided pollution is better than losing money so they let our springs and rivers die.

And they are dying.

And the DEP and the water managers are puppets of the State so they allow the death of the rivers by making up numbers to lower the bar on the Minimum Flows and continue to issue water pumping permits.

Enjoy your springs and rivers now while you can because they are not going to get better.

Read the original article here in the News Press.

Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
jim.tatum@oursantaferiver.org
– A river is like a life: once taken,
it cannot be brought back © Jim Tatum


Guest opinion: Floridians have the right to know if our waters are safe
John Cassani
Special to The News-Press
John Cassani

For generations, Floridians have worshiped Florida’s iconic waters. They are likely the reason many people came to Florida, to swim, fish, paddle, ski, dive and enjoy all forms of watery recreation under sunny skies. Florida waters have always instilled some special recognition. As legend has it, Ponce de Leon, the 16th century explorer, declared that he had discovered the mystical fountain of youth, in what is now Punta Gorda, Florida.

There is hardly a creek or river without a child’s swing rope, a dock without a dive platform or innertube that made lasting memories for Floridians. These memories bonded countless residents to the state’s waters and perhaps why waterfront living is so sought after.

Recreational value inherent to Florida’s waters cannot be underestimated. In recognition of recreation as an essential and long-standing value to residents, Florida has codified the term by statute and rule as an official designated use for most waterbodies.

Unfortunately, something has gone terribly wrong over recent years. Fecal bacteria contamination of Florida waters has become widespread. Swimming or recreating in water where levels of bacteria and other pathogens are high can make you sick. The most common outcomes are gastrointestinal illness, eye ailments, skin rashes, earache and infected cut.

According to information in the state’s water quality database, fecal bacteria are the most frequently occurring parameter causing verified impairment in many, if not most of Florida’s waters including some of the most popular waters for recreation. As southwest Florida examples, fecal bacteria represented 80 percent of all verified impairments in Manatee County, 69 percent in Hillsborough, 62 percent in Sarasota and 49 percent in Lee.

A recent case exemplifies the issue. At a Lee County park on Matlacha Pass, an Outstanding Florida Water, bacteria levels are at times well above what FDOH uses to close a coastal beach. Residents at the Park are often seen wading, paddling, fishing and swimming in the waters and are warned by a sign that says no lifeguard on duty, inferring that swimming is a popular activity there. School children attend the site and wade in the water to learn about nature. But, both FDOH and Lee County refuse to routinely monitor for fecal bacteria

Not designated for swimming. Think about that for a moment. Matlacha Pass, like many of Florida waters has its official designated use as recreation that could include swimming. Is there an official list somewhere that identifies Florida waters that are not designated for swimming? If fecal bacteria contamination is often the most frequent parameter causing verified impairment by FDEP, then why aren’t there signs warning the public of the risk…?

We can work together to restore Florida’s waters and their recreational legacy but until then warning signs could protect the public from risky conditions.

Call your state representatives and local officials today and tell them that the public has the right to know if Florida waters are safe for recreation.

John Cassani is the Calusa Waterkeeper.

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