From the City of Pensacola:
The City of Pensacola has received results from additional stormwater bacteria testing related to Bruce Beach water quality, which show no elevated bacteria levels. This is positive news for the quality of area waterways including Bruce Beach and is the result of diligent efforts by the City of Pensacola, Emerald Coast Utilities Authority and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Initial sampling and testing of stormwater systems in the Bruce Beach area were conducted in September 2022 by the City of Pensacola, ECUA, and FDEP. That testing showed elevated levels of bacteria in several locations as well as high levels in the stormwater system along Spring Street just south of Garden Street.
Subsequent inspections by City of Pensacola Public Works staff and ECUA identified a damaged sanitary sewer line in the intersection of Spring Street and Garden Street, which was repaired in October 2022.
Those repairs have been successful in eliminating cross-contamination between ECUA’s line and the City of Pensacola’s stormwater system. Follow-up testing and sampling completed after ECUA’s repairs have found no elevated bacteria levels. Additionally, the City of Pensacola, ECUA, and FDEP took the extra step to have FDEP conduct biological and chemical testing on the samples collected by FDEP.
Indicators specific to untreated human waste were found only at the location south of the previously broken sewer line sampled in September 2022 and were not present in any samples collected in February 2023. An indicator of bird waste was confirmed present only in samples collected in September 2022. ECUA and FDEP samples were tested independently in separate labs.
Both the City of Pensacola’s stormwater system and ECUA’s sanitary sewer system are functioning as designed, and replacement of the broken pipe at Spring Street and Garden Street eliminated the only confirmed source of untreated human waste in this extensive sampling effort covering all areas contributing stormwater flow to Bruce Beach.
This report must be examined. When and where was the testing done?
The enterococcus levels fluctuate. When it rains the levels go up. We have been in one heck of a dry spell. Look at the numbers. Way below normal.
How long did the testing go on? Six months like the first report did? Or is this another snap shot of testing that matters not.
1. Where is this report?
2. Who commissioned the report?
3. Was a DNA analysis done?
4. How often and when did they do the sampling?
5. The Department of Health is required by the Clean Water Act to do these tests every week.
6. Come down to the community after a rainfall, the smell of enterococcus is obnoxious!
For comparison below is the link to the report produced by independent scientists.
Our waterways are never going to live up to the hype and untruths.
https://ircommons.uwf.edu/esploro/outputs/99380113389106600
Thanks Rick for the update. We are fortunate to have really smart engineers to figure systems out. And scientists to validate the remedies. It’s like we know what, who, why and how, but just not when, When the when is now, things get better. Good interagency collaboration with this.
Great news! It would be good to get some additional details, such as clarification for the public about the limitations of the testing conducted weekly by the Health Dept. at Bruce Beach and Bayou Texar. That sampling does not identify the source of the bacteria, which is a very expensive test. So when we see high bacteria counts at area beaches, that can come from a variety of sources including pet waste, birds, human waste, and even resident populations of bacteria inside stormwater pipes. It would also be good to get an update on progress in fixing failing sewer laterals on private property, which appears to be a major issue in adding fecal bacteria to the ground and groundwater, and allowing excess water (called inflow and infiltration) to enter the ECUA wastewater system and cause sanitary sewer overflows. Maybe a story for IN Weekly?