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Bacteria levels in parts of Tampa Bay still dangerously high after Debby

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Published  August 22, 2024 6:19pm EDT
Sarasota
FOX 13 News

Floodwater contaminants left over from Debby

Kylie Jones reports

SARASOTA, Fla. - Two weeks after Tropical Storm Debby, bacteria levels in some areas around Tampa Bay are still dangerously high.

Some areas are still under "no-swim" advisories, due to high levels of bacteria in the water.

"What we're finding is really high numbers of that bacteria out in the bay after Debby," Suncoast Waterkeepers’ Executive Director Abbey Tyrna said.

READ: Laurel Meadows residents feel shut out by local leaders following Tropical Storm Debby

The Suncoast Waterkeeper’s latest water level tests indicate that at 10 of the 11 locations sampled in the Sarasota area, bacteria levels are too high. These sites are under "don’t swim" warnings. 

Doctors said you could risk serious infections or viruses by swimming in floodwaters or water along the coast.

"The biggest concern we have is errors or breaks in the skin, which can cause people to get infected," AdventHealth Wesley Chapel’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Bob Rosequist said. "We see a lot of staff infections, some strep, impetigo, and of course, bad, bad infections systemically would be like tetanus." 

These are some of the types of infections doctors have seen people contract from getting in the water after a storm.

MORE: Hurricane Debby pushes Florida's insured losses to $116M as claims keep rising

"And if some of these bacteria gets into a cut, they can make you quite sick," said Dr. Juan Dumois, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital’s pediatric infectious diseases' physician. "They can spread into the bloodstream and cause a condition called sepsis."

From wading through the floodwaters, to swimming in the bay or the ocean, environmentalists said it’s not safe to do right now.

Tyrna said they’re seeing bacteria levels that are about 10 times the level that’s safe for certain recreational activities, like kayaking, paddleboarding and fishing.

"It's okay to be on a boat on the bay, but submerging yourself in bay waters right now is just not a great idea, until the bay can assimilate just the millions of gallons of sewage that went into it after Debby," Tyrna said.

She said it could take weeks for the rivers and Sarasota Bay to be sanitized.

READ: Gulfport boaters holding out hope for FEMA relief after extensive damages from Debby

"The best thing to do is just stay out of the water and protect yourself," Rosequist said.

Suncoast Waterkeeper tests water levels weekly, and expects updated samples on Friday. 

The Suncoast Waterkeeper sampled water at sites at Emerson Point, Robinson Preserve, Bridge Street Pier, Longboat Key Boat Ramp, Palma Sola Causeway North, New College Caples Bayfront, Indian Beach, Centennial Park Beach, Bayfront Park Marina Jack Trail, Sarasota Sailing Squadron and Longboat Key Bayfront Park.

The organization said Longboat Key Bayfront Park was the only site where it was determined safe to swim.

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