Published: July 25, 2002, Palm Beach Post
WASHINGTON -- Florida has significantly improved its water quality monitoring at public beaches, an environmental group said Wednesday.
The National Resource Defense Council released its 12th annual beach report, which studies beach advisories, closings and monitoring programs in coastal and Great Lakes states. The study listed Florida, as well as Massachusetts and Texas, as states which have recently developed and improved their beach-monitoring programs.
However, the NRDC put 40 of Brevard County's beaches on its "Beach Bum" list. The list contains beaches that are not monitored, do not meet federal environmental criteria and have pollution sources nearby. The council mentioned wildlife, storm water runoff and sanitary sewer overflow as potential dangers for Brevard's beaches.
Each of Florida's 34 coastal counties monitors selected beaches under Florida's Healthy Beaches Program, which began after state legislators allocated $525,000 to begin a beach-monitoring plan. Before the program began in August 2000, Florida did not require any monitoring of its beaches.
Counties have tested water at selected sites every other week for two forms of bacteria that can cause infection, rashes and or disease if ingested by humans. The Department of Health posts results from the monitored beaches on its Web site.
Beginning next week, Florida will test its sites every week, using money the state recently received from the federal government as part of the 2000 BEACH Act. The law encourages states to establish monitoring programs and warn the public if levels of bacteria exceed EPA standards.
Local health departments in Florida decide when to close a beach or issue an advisory, but the Department of Health recommends that they issue advisories when the bacteria levels exceed the EPA's recommended standards.
Key West was one of five places placed on NRDC's "2002 Beach Buddies" list. The council praised its efforts to modernize its wastewater treatment plant, reduce its sewage runoff and create a storm water capital plan.