SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — “No Swim” advisories went into place for five Sarasota County beaches Thursday -- and red tide wasn’t the culprit.
Sarasota County Health officials issued the advisory at Lido Casino Beach, Brohard Beach, Venice Pier Beach, Siesta Beach, and Longboat Key Beach as a precaution after enterococcus bacteria was present in a water quality test.
The amount of bacteria measured was more than the acceptable level at the beaches, health officials said. Each beach will be open, but getting into the water is not recommended as long as the advisory is place.
Health officials say some bacteria are naturally present in the environment, but the EPA says there's a link between health and water quality.
The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County expects to have the next round of test results by Friday.
Enterococcus bacteria can come from a variety of natural and human-made sources. These include pet waste, livestock, birds, wildlife, stormwater runoff and human sewage from failed septic systems and sewage spills.
The rapid response teams from Sarasota County and the City of Venice say they think the cause of the elevated bacteria levels is likely natural sources.
The teams have seen a lot of bird tracks on the beaches and along the shorelines. The team says that means it’s possible there is a large amount of bird activity, which can increase bacteria levels near the shore.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10 News app now.
Have a news tip? Email tips@wtsp.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
