Area Beaches Rank Poorly Due To Pollution (Clearwater, Sarasota: big house, neighborhood)

[wondermint2]

Hello. I found this article today in the Herald-Tribune about a recent study that ranks Venice Beach as extremely poor water quality due to pollution (rated 1 out of 5 stars) -- also Siesta Key Beach and North Lido Beach were rated poor (2 out of 5 stars). I find this very disturbing since I just moved to Sarasota a few months ago and was under the impression that Sarasota beaches were supposed to be world class??? Especially disappointing was the fact that Siesta Key Beach ranked poorly. (I love the white sand). Any suggestions as to what can be done to improve the water quality of area beaches? Here is the link to the article: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article...are-criticized

[angelfish]

I am surprised as well. We know a huge contributing factor to the "dead zone" in the Gulf comes from the Mississippi. The Mississippi is full of contaminates from farm run off. Sarasota put in place some regulations regarding the use of fertilizers maybe just a few years ago now. I believe when Siesta Beach gets it's renovations they will be addressing the sewage problems that occasionally affect certain areas of our beach.

I think we really need to be careful of what type of chemicals we are putting on our lawns for sure. Picking up debris/litter in your neighborhood so it doesn't go in to the sewer is a small step. I would check out the county's website and see what kind of effort a community member can put in.

[pgans]

Well, this is bad news. Is the pollution really that bad at Venice beaches?

As I am currently planning on relocating there to become a beach bum, this is kind of important to me.

I have been following this forum for some time now and this is the first I heard of it.

For comparison purposes, how does the water compare to that of Clearwater Beach?

[Big House]

Originally Posted by pgans

Well, this is bad news. Is the pollution really that bad at Venice beaches?

As I am currently planning on relocating there to become a beach bum, this is kind of important to me.

I have been following this forum for some time now and this is the first I heard of it.

For comparison purposes, how does the water compare to that of Clearwater Beach?

I have been to the beaches all around SWFL for the past few months, and I can tell you that they have been teriffic! The water has been very warm, and there has been some sea grass that has washed up on the beach, but I think the water has been clean, and I've hit many many beaches.

I think that the "green" environmentalists have been really putting on a hard court press, in order to raise their issue, and get people to be even more careful about water quality! They are doing the same thing in Maryland. I am not blaming them, because I agree with their conservative view, and desire to reduce pollution, fertilizers, and pesticides entering the water system. Lets face it, water runs down hill, and it all flows into the creeks, streams, rivers, gulf, and ocean, and everything collects and ultimately ends up there. So the better we can control it the better we will be.

Anyway, I don't think things have suddenly gotten worse. I think things are constantly improving, and more needs to be done, but everytime they raise their banner, they want to make it seem as bad as possible so it gets the most attention, and has the biggest effect.

So, IMHO, jump in the water is fine! I'll be right behind you as soon as I get down again!

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Big House

I have been to the beaches all around SWFL for the past few months, and I can tell you that they have been teriffic! The water has been very warm, and there has been some sea grass that has washed up on the beach, but I think the water has been clean, and I've hit many many beaches.

I think that the "green" environmentalists have been really putting on a hard court press, in order to raise their issue, and get people to be even more careful about water quality! They are doing the same thing in Maryland. I am not blaming them, because I agree with their conservative view, and desire to reduce pollution, fertilizers, and pesticides entering the water system. Lets face it, water runs down hill, and it all flows into the creeks, streams, rivers, gulf, and ocean, and everything collects and ultimately ends up there. So the better we can control it the better we will be.

Anyway, I don't think things have suddenly gotten worse. I think things are constantly improving, and more needs to be done, but everytime they raise their banner, they want to make it seem as bad as possible so it gets the most attention, and has the biggest effect.

So, IMHO, jump in the water is fine! I'll be right behind you as soon as I get down again!

Big House I totally agree with you. I think the case is being overstated right now to raise awareness about how pollluted the water can become through too much fertilizer or other junk flowing downhill and into our waters.

The beaches around here look as beautiful as ever, and in fact while I know it's not the "beach" per se, there have been recent articles about how Sarasota Bay is the cleanest and healthiest it has been in at least 60 years. We need to do all we can do to preserve our area's greatest asset.

[Ladywithafan]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Hello. I found this article today in the Herald-Tribune about a recent study that ranks Venice Beach as extremely poor water quality due to pollution (rated 1 out of 5 stars) -- also Siesta Key Beach and North Lido Beach were rated poor (2 out of 5 stars). I find this very disturbing since I just moved to Sarasota a few months ago and was under the impression that Sarasota beaches were supposed to be world class??? Especially disappointing was the fact that Siesta Key Beach ranked poorly. (I love the white sand). Any suggestions as to what can be done to improve the water quality of area beaches? Here is the link to the article: Venice beaches are criticized | HeraldTribune.com | Sarasota Florida | Southwest Florida's Information Leader

To improve the water quality of beaches, I suggest closure. No human beings allowed. k

[miruca]

The thing is... you can't always see the pollution.

[Scots]

Take a look at the NRDC report and see what the stars mean. It isn't like 1*=bad, 2*=ok, 3*=good, 4*=excellent water which is what you would think. Instead, each star indicates that some particular criterion is met. What the stars actually mean is below taken directly form the report. So, if you have awesome water quality in 2008 but had a problem 3 years ago, don't test every week, are a little slow to issue advisories and don't post advisories on the beach and online (which you might not need to do if your water is awesome) then you would just get one star-- even though you have awesome water.

Water quality, 2008 | Water quality, last 3 years | Water quality testing frequency | Always issues advisories promptly | Posts closings/advisories online and at beach | Each star indicates that this beach met a specific standard in 2008.