June 2026 Newsletter

1 comment 30 June 2026

Become a Member Today!

MONITOR

Help Us Find Out What's in Our Water: Forever Free PFAS Testing for Everyone

Want to know what’s in your drinking water? Suncoast Waterkeeper is expanding our Forever Free PFAS Testing Program to residents across Sarasota and Manatee Counties (excluding private well systems and cities of Sarasota and Venice at this time) and we need your help!

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of harmful synthetic chemicals used in everyday products like cookware and clothing. A 2023 statewide study by Dr. Bowden and researchers at the University of Florida found PFAS in 70% of Sarasota County surface water samples, with North Port showing the highest number of PFAS compounds detected and the highest concentrations in our region.

Despite being recently classified as hazardous substances, efforts to regulate these contaminants have been stalled. As a result, our community lacks access to affordable testing, information, and water filtration. That’s why Suncoast Waterkeeper launched Forever Free to help residents better understand what’s in their water and build local data to guide future solutions.

Through this program, we provide free drinking water sampling kits to residents throughout Sarasota and Manatee Counties.* Our goal is to collect 100 samples from our region. So far, we’ve tested 39 samples and identified several PFAS compounds, including PFOA, PFOS, PFBA, PFPeA, PFHxA, and PFHxS.

Early results show that PFOA and PFOS levels in tested samples have remained below the federal drinking water standards but above the maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG, a threshold based solely on human health, without regard to cost-benefit analyses or technology limitations). However, federal rulemaking is currently underway to rollback, delay, and provide exemptions for these standards before they can even be implemented. That is why Suncoast Waterkeeper is bridging the gap to gather local data. We aim to not only understand local trends but also to provide people with the information they need to protect themselves.

Sampling is simple! Once you sign up, you’ll receive a testing kit with everything you need, including sampling materials and a prepaid shipping label to send your sample to a certified laboratory. After testing is complete, the lab will send your results to Suncoast Waterkeeper, and we’ll provide you with a personalized results packet explaining what was found in your water. You’ll also have an option to review your results with a PFAS advisor on our team.

For residents experiencing financial hardship, we also have tested water dispensers with a one-year supply of filters available to help reduce potential PFAS exposure.

By participating, you can help us:

Collect more local data on PFAS in drinking water
Track PFAS presence throughout Sarasota and Manatee Counties
Provide residents with information about their water
Support future research, education, and advocacy

Sign up to receive a free PFAS testing kit and help us reach our goal of 100 samples!

*Residents on well water systems are not eligible for participation at this time

Register Today!

A special thank you to the Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation for their generous funding of the Forever Free program!

INFORM

Stormwater Rules are Changing. Here's Why We Care.

It's rainy season here in the Sunshine State, and with rain comes the inevitable stormwater.

Starting July 1, Florida will implement new stormwater regulations under Senate Bill 848. If your eyes glaze over at the mention of stormwater regulations, stick with us. Behind the technical details are important decisions about how we protect Florida's waters.

After months of drought and little rainfall across our region, stormwater may not be top of mind. But every time it rains, runoff from roads, parking lots, rooftops, and lawns carries pollutants into local creeks, rivers, bays, and the Gulf. Excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus can fuel harmful algal blooms (HABs), degrade water quality, and harm wildlife.

Estimates from regional experts tell us that urban/suburban stormwater contributes between 45 and 70% of all nutrient loading into local waters. That's why stormwater nutrient management is such an important piece of Florida's water protection efforts and why these regulatory changes are worth paying attention to.

What’s Changing?

Last year, for the first time, SB 7040 established pre- and post-development project performance standards for stormwater treatment under Florida's Environmental Resource Permitting (ERP) program. In simple terms, it sets expectations for how developments that generate stormwater runoff must manage nutrient pollution.

SB 848 builds on those standards by clarifying how projects can meet their nutrient treatment requirements by allowing for the purchase of credits for offsite reductions that occur within the same watershed.

Two approaches are now more clearly defined in state rules:

The first is a Regional Stormwater Management System (RSMS), an engineered system designed to collect and treat stormwater from multiple developments.
The second is a Water Quality Enhancement Area (WQEA), a nature-based solution that may use constructed wetlands or restored landscapes to remove pollutants before water reaches nearby waterways.

As these rules are developed, there is a public comment period when organizations like Waterkeepers Florida have the opportunity to provide feedback and suggest improvements. The goal is to identify areas where language can be clarified and protections can be strengthened.

One area of focus has been Water Quality Enhancement Areas (WQEAs). Our partners at St. John's Riverkeeper have submitted comments seeking additional clarity around long-term monitoring, maintenance, and enforcement.

Nature-based solutions can be incredibly effective, but, like any solution, they need ongoing oversight to ensure they're actually doing what they were designed to do. That requires clear plans, long-term accountability, and resources for agencies like the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to monitor compliance.

These discussions bring up an important reality: environmental protection is not just about creating new programs. It's also about ensuring agencies have the resources needed to monitor them and enforce compliance over time. FDEP is already tasked with managing an enormous workload and often lacks the resources necessary to keep pace with Florida's rapid growth and increasingly complex environmental challenges. If these new systems are going to succeed, we need to have honest conversations about where the funding, staffing, and long-term support will come from to ensure they are properly monitored and enforced.

Our Local Funding Challenge

These resource challenges are not unique to the state level. We see them locally as well.

Manatee County is one of the only local governments in our region without a dedicated stormwater fee. Without a dedicated funding source, routine maintenance projects such as clearing drainage ditches, maintaining stormwater infrastructure, and addressing flooding concerns must compete with other budget priorities. This can leave important projects waiting years for funding and completion, while residents are left wondering when longstanding drainage and flooding issues will finally be addressed.

Last year, Suncoast Waterkeeper started a petition to explore bringing a stormwater fee back to the ballot. Previous attempts were made in 2019, but concerns about the fee structure prevented broader support. Manatee County is moving closer to implementing a stormwater utility fee as reported in this timeline from the Observer, but it is yet to be fully established.

Whether its state agencies tasked with enforcing new regulations or local governments maintaining drainage systems, it is clear that stormwater management depends on sustained investment. Without dedicated funding and oversight, even the best-designed programs can fall short. If we want cleaner water, healthier estuaries, and communities that are resilient to both flooding and pollution, we must be willing to invest in the systems that make those outcomes possible.

ACT

Suncoast Supporter Spotlights

A Special Thank You to Richard Moore for his generosity of time and treasure as Board Secretary,
Water Quality Committee member and Suncoast Waterkeeper Sponsor

Bahia Mar West Marina

Throughout 2025, Bahia Mar West Marina generously donated premium dry boat storage for our official Suncoast Waterkeeper patrol boat.

This wasn’t just a place to park our vessel; their incredible team provided us with full marina and boat ramp access, a dedicated dry storage spot, and temporary wet slip use. Because of their generosity, our crew was able to launch quickly, efficiently, and reliably to patrol our coastlines, monitor water quality, and enforce the protection of our precious estuaries and wetlands.

To the team at Bahia Mar West Marina: thank you for keeping our patrol boat safe, ready, and on the water. You are true champions for clean water!

Rick Richards, Inc.

For over four decades, Rick Richards, Inc. has been a staple in the Florida contracting and site development scene. As a team that works directly with our region's landscape, we appreciate their generous donation, which shows a strong commitment to supporting our community's growth while protecting our coastal waters, estuaries, and ecosystems. It’s local leaders like them who make our advocacy, enforcement, and water monitoring programs possible.

Thank you, Rick Richards, Inc., for investing in clean water and a healthier future for the Suncoast!

Join the Movement: Become a Business Partner

Want your business to stand alongside us in the fight for clean water? We are actively building our network of business partners. Whether you are a small local shop or a large corporation, your support helps us as we work to ensure the Suncoast has swimmable, drinkable, and fishable water for all.