December 2024 Newsletter
HIGHLIGHTS
Organizing After the Storm: From Monitoring to Cleanups
This year brought sobering reminders of the challenges we still face. Our warming atmosphere, holding more moisture, drives more frequent and intense rainfall. These extreme events exposed the shortcomings of our wastewater infrastructure and revealed that many communities are more vulnerable to flooding than previously understood.
In the wake of each storm, Suncoast Waterkeeper swiftly assessed water quality and alerted the public about wastewater spills. While government agencies focused on emergency management, we provided residents and visitors with critical information to help them decide when it was safe to return to water-based activities.
We also launched a survey to crowdsource information on marine debris, helping us identify key locations in local bays with significant debris that volunteers could tackle. Thanks to this effort, we're working with incredible partners across the Suncoast and Tampa Bay to clean up after the storms.
Join us next Saturday, December 14, to participate in this important work. Together, we can protect and restore the waters we all cherish!
Don’t Swim There!
This infographic shows the percentage of swimmable weeks that resulted from enterococci (a fecal indicator bacteria) concentrations between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024.
Another year has passed, and we are thrilled to share the results of our enterococci monitoring program. Between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024, we conducted weekly sampling at 11 popular sites along the Suncoast to measure fecal indicator bacteria levels. These locations are not monitored by any other agency in Sarasota or Manatee Counties, and our program aims to fill that critical gap. Regular monitoring of these sites allows us to assess water quality conditions and provide timely information on whether it is safe to swim.
We post the results on our website, Water Reporter map, Instagram, and Facebook every Friday to keep the community informed.
Over the past year, two sites consistently showed poor water quality, Bridge Street Pier and Palma Sola Bay (north of the Causeway). Our data indicates that swimming at these locations was unsafe for most of the year. In contrast, sites with consistently good water quality included Longboat Key Bayfront Park, Longboat Key Town Boat Ramp (on Bayside Drive), and Emerson Point Preserve.
High levels of fecal indicator bacteria can result from many factors, including recent unprecedented weather events on the Suncoast. These events have brought substantial rainfall, severe flooding, and widespread devastation to local communities. For example, the heavy rain from Tropical Storm Debby in August 2024 caused extremely high enterococci levels across all 11 monitored sites. It took approximately five weeks for these areas to recover and become safe for swimming again. The subsequent storms, which brought much less rain, took less of a toll on water quality than Debby.
When reviewing the monthly averages of our results, we found that certain months showed poor water quality across all sites—specifically December 2023 and the period from June to August 2024. Seasonal changes play a significant role in these patterns, influencing water movement, rainfall, tidal shifts, sewage overflows, pollution runoff, and other contributing factors.
We are continuing our weekly enterococci monitoring efforts in bayside waters! We would like to encourage you to stay posted for swim advisories from the Departments of Health in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, which monitor and report on fecal indicator bacteria on Gulf beaches. Also, report pollution through our ‘Eyes on the Suncoast’ Program whenever you observe incidents like sewage overflows, dead mangroves, fish kills, etc. We couldn’t have reached another year of making this program possible without the support of our donors. Thank you for supporting the work that we do!
STATE & NATIONAL WATER NEWS:
Radioactive Roads Reality
In the wake of the Radioactive Roads bill passed by the Florida State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2023, there are two projects that the Center of Biological Diversity has spotlighted. First, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency opened up public comment on its pending approval for Mosaic to conduct a pilot project using radioactive phosphogypsum—a hazardous byproduct of fertilizer production—in private road construction in Polk County. This material, banned for such use since 1992, emits radon gas and contains toxic heavy metals like arsenic and lead. It’s a proven danger to public health and the environment, and approval of this project could set a dangerous precedent nationwide. In November, Suncoast Waterkeeper, as part of Waterkeepers Florida and Waterkeeper Alliance, signed a public comment letter to EPA official Joseph Goffman explaining the scientific reasoning behind our objections to the project.
Here’s why we’re sounding the alarm:
- Cancer Risks: The project would accept cancer risks three times higher than what’s deemed safe under the Clean Air Act, exposing road workers and nearby communities to unacceptable danger.
- Environmental Contamination: Phosphogypsum leaches toxins into water supplies and spreads radioactive particles via wind and traffic, threatening ecosystems and drinking water.
- Disproportionate Impact: Vulnerable communities near these sites already bear the brunt of pollution, and this project would add even more risks.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) also plans to construct demonstration roads using phosphogypsum. However, the agency told WUSF that it was not seeking EPA approval. According to its planning documents, if the road tests prove the material is viable, the agency will seek EPA approval.
If you learn that an FDOT demonstration project is coming to your area, please let Suncoast Waterkeeper know using our Pollution Reporting form. We aim to stay on top of this issue and pull all the levers at our disposal to safeguard public health and Florida’s waters.
Urging Caution to Florida Rulemakers on New Toilet-to-Tap Statutes
Suncoast Waterkeeper has been closely monitoring the rulemaking process that would allow Floridians to consume treated wastewater directly or indirectly. Due to its inherent risks, we strongly oppose direct potable reuse (DPR) and urge caution with indirect potable reuse (IPR), which requires stringent safeguards.
The terms "direct" and "indirect potable reuse" have largely obscured this critical issue.
In direct potable reuse, a wastewater utility uses advanced treatment methods and can pipe the treated sewage directly to the consumer or a drinking water plant for distribution. Indirect potable reuse is when the treated sewage is sent into the environment to increase contaminant removal. For example, as the rules are currently written, if the City of Bradenton received a permit to offer indirect potable reuse, then it could pump its advanced treated wastewater directly to the Bill Evers Reservoir, where it would be taken up by the drinking water operation and run through the conventional treatment process and then piped to consumers. If the City of Bradenton received a permit for direct potable reuse, it could distribute its advanced treated wastewater directly to customers or the drinking water plant for distribution. Given the current regulatory framework, we find both scenarios concerning due to the inherent risks.
We have urged the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to approach potable reuse (aka toilet to tap) cautiously and rationally. In particular, we raised the following critical concerns.
- Permit applications must demonstrate all reasonable measures were taken to reduce water waste and maximize beneficial non-potable reuse. A comprehensive approach to potable reuse and conservation has not been included to prioritize water conservation and maximize reclaimed water for irrigation and industrial uses. This should be required before considering potable reuse, which will be much more expensive than conservation measures. Also, the public health risks are much less for conservation measures. We believe a potable reuse permit application must include documentation that all reasonable steps were taken to reduce water consumption through conservation, reduce waste and unaccounted-for water, and maximize beneficial non-potable reuse.
- Systematic weaknesses in oversight and accountability for wastewater treatment facilities put Floridians at risk. The condition and reliability of wastewater treatment facilities have not been adequately addressed to ensure that the wastewater facilities can reliably deliver "advanced treated water." According to FDEP Notices of Pollution, so far in 2024, there have been over 2100 reported incidents. This level of failure does not support making these same wastewater facilities responsible for providing source water for public consumption. Bypasses from wastewater treatment facilities, which are currently prohibited, discharge into surface waters not used for drinking, causing unknown environmental harm and indirectly exposing the public to contamination. However, bypasses from Indirect Potable Reuse (IDPR) and Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) facilities pose a much greater risk, as they would directly contaminate Florida's potable water supply, endangering public health. This concern is heightened by numerous documented instances of delayed or non-reporting of bypasses by wastewater treatment facilities across the state, demonstrating systemic weaknesses in oversight and accountability.
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A full year of pilot testing must be required to ensure consistently safe potable water. The pilot testing program requirements in this draft still allow for a reduction in the duration or scope of pilot testing and, in some cases, eliminating pilot testing. Given the lack of operating data from existing potable reuse facilities, we believe the requirements for a full year of pilot testing should be required in all cases.
- The lag time and national focus of the Safe Drinking Water Act make conservative blending ratios critical for ensuring the health and safety of Floridians. The current draft amendments allow any blending ratio of primary source water to reclaimed advanced treated water. We believe the blending ratio is important to control the quality of finished water and public health. A more conservative approach would be to limit blending to 20% or 25%, with a provision that a utility could present several years of operating data to support a permit modification to increase the blending ratio.
- The lag time and national focus of the Safe Drinking Water Act allow harmful contamination in Florida drinking water. As stated previously in our July 26 letter, we believe that the public’s health and safety are not being adequately addressed, especially regarding emerging contaminants of concern, such as pharmaceuticals and PFAS, that are currently not regulated or are under-regulated within the Safe Drinking Water Act and Florida State Statutes.
We call on state regulators to prioritize public health and water safety by ensuring proper safeguards, accountability, and rigorous testing before permitting potable reuse projects. Potable reuse is a high-stakes endeavor that requires cautious, science-based decision-making.
A Fish Farm Nobody Asked For
Suncoast Waterkeeper strongly opposes the proposed NPDES permit for the offshore factory fish farm near Venice, Florida, due to its significant ecological, economic, and community risks.
- The site lies in a red tide initiation zone (Figure 1), where nutrient pollution could intensify red tide outbreaks, exacerbating environmental damage.
- The farm's use of monofilament lines endangers marine life, including dolphins and sea turtles, through entanglement.
- Its location in hurricane-prone waters increases the risk of catastrophic damage, pollution, and farmed fish escapes, which could disrupt local ecosystems.
- Furthermore, farming red drum offshore is unnecessary, as this species has already been successfully cultivated on land.
- The project threatens local fisheries with pollution and disease, harming small-scale fishermen, their communities, and restoration efforts while imposing costs on residents who gain no benefit.
- Finally, the project can also negatively impact threatened and endangered marine life.
We sent comments to the US Environmental Protection Agency urging it to consider these substantial concerns and reject the permit application. After all, it is a fish farm that nobody asked for.
Figure 1. Ocean Era’s location for Docket ID EPA–R04-OW-2024-0113 is symbolized with the yellow thumbtack and within the initiation zone of red tide. The satellite imagery shows chlorophyll concentrations, and the dots symbolize the severity of the red tide on November 11, 2024. Permitted nutrient pollution will likely increase and exacerbate red tide.
References:
Marks et al. 2020. A case study of monofilament line entanglement in a common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): entanglement, disentanglement, and subsequent death. BMC Vet Res, 16(1):223
Destin Chamber. 2024. Destin-Fort Walton Beach and Coastal Conservation Association Florida Release 30,000 Redfish into the Choctawhatchee Bay. Retrieved on November 25, 2024 from https://business.destinchamber.com/news/details/destin-fort-walton-beach-and-coastal-conservation-association-florida-release-30-000-redfish#:~:text=Destin%2DFort%20Walton%20Beach%2C%20in,at%20Lion's%20Park%20in%20Niceville
https://www.pineislandredfish.com/
WGCU. 2023. Redfish grown at Mote Marine's inland aquaculture farm are being released inshore. Retrieved on November 25, 2024 from https://news.wgcu.org/section/environment/2023-06-28/redfish-grown-at-mote-marines-inland-aquaculture-farm-being-released-inshore
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/insight/marine-aquaculture-and-environment
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Algal Blooms from Satellite for Southwest Florida. https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/science-areas/habs/hab-monitoring-system/algal-blooms-from-satellite-southwest-florida/
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Red Tide Current Status. https://myfwc.com/research/redtide/statewide/
LOVE YOUR BAYS CONSCIOUSLY:
2024 Brunch for the Bay Highlights: Honoring Clean Water Champions
At our 2024 Brunch for the Bay, we celebrated two remarkable clean water champions who make Suncoast Waterkeeper's work possible. Our founder, Justin Bloom, was honored as our 2024 Water Warrior. We applaud him for his unwavering commitment to safeguarding our waterways. Waterkeeper Alliance CEO, Marc Yaggi, joined the celebration with a moving video, highlighting Justin's legacy and impact.
We also celebrated the Claypoole Family, awarding them as our 2024 Waterkeeper Partner of the Year! Board Chair and neighbor to the Claypooles, Rusty Chinnis, presented the award. Their dedication to clean water and hands-on support for Suncoast Waterkeeper make them true community heroes. We're beyond grateful for all they do.
Cheers to these incredible advocates making waves for a cleaner, healthier Bay!
Our Brunch for the Bay could not have been a success
without the support of our incredible sponsors.
We'd like to thank our Clean Water Warrior Sponsors:
Serene and Charles Farmer
Mike Moss and Ellen Chapman
Two Mutts Philanthropies
Dive Into Action: End 2024 by Giving Back
MARINE DEBRIS CLEANUP ON DEC. 14
Looking to round out your year by giving back? Register for our marine debris clean-up on Saturday, Dec. 14!
Help us show our mangroves and waters some love after the 2024 hurricane season
REGISTER NOW
Make Waves with Suncoast Waterkeeper in 2025!
Set a resolution to volunteer with Suncoast Waterkeeper in 2025! Here’s some opportunities coming up in the new year:
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Mangrove Rangers: Our second year of Mangrove Rangers will be kicking off early next year. Sign up to help survey vulnerable mangroves in Manatee County HERE
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Advocacy Days: Learn how to better advocate for our waters and volunteer to speak with elected officials during our Advocacy Days! We will have a training session in February with breakout sessions that will dive deeper into environmental issues in Sarasota and Manatee Counties like Save Our Wetlands, flooding, wastewater issues, and more.
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ELMAC openings: Manatee County’s Environmental Lands Management and Acquisition Committee (ELMAC) is currently accepting applications for 5 seats.
“Manatee County residents who want to help protect land and water resources, preserve fish and wildlife habitat, and provide for passive recreation are invited to apply for five positions (member of Environmental Group, Resident of District 1, Resident of District 3, Resident of District 5, and Resident of District 7) now available on the Environmental Lands Management and Acquisition Committee (ELMAC).
The Environmental Lands Program has been working on implementation of the community-initiated Conservation and Parks Projects Referendum that was approved by voters authorizing millions of dollars for the acquisition, improvement, and management of land to protect natural resources and provide parks.
This citizen’s advisory committee makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners on environmental land acquisition and management issues, including recreational planning and programming of public lands. ELMAC also serves as the Tree Advisory Board to promote awareness of the County-wide tree canopy and tree education programs.
Applications for these five positions will be accepted through December 13, 2024, and may be found here. Applicants for this position must reside in Manatee County.
ELMAC typically meets on the first Monday of every other month at 6:00 pm in the Manatee Room at 1112 Manatee Ave W, in Bradenton. More information about the ELMAC can be found here.”
To get involved, send an email to [email protected]
Like we are doing? Join our clean water mission!
https://www.suncoastwaterkeeper.org/
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