LEE COUNTY, Fla. — A recent report from the Calusa Waterkeeper highlights alarming levels of fecal bacteria in many Lee County waterways. Among the locations tested, Manuel Branch, a canal that runs near Cleveland Avenue and Canal Street, showed the highest levels of contamination, raising concerns for public health and safety.
HEAR FROM THE EXPERTS WHO COLLECTED THE DATA HERE:
Out of the 30 locations tested, only three returned good results. The rest fell into moderate to extremely poor categories. Some samples even showed bacterial levels exceeding 3,000 enterococci per sample—far above the Florida Department of Health’s advisory threshold of 70.
“We're a first world country living with third world water quality problems here,” said Codty Pierce, Waterkeeper for the nonprofit Calusa Waterkeeper. “This is something that's completely avoidable.”
According to Pierce, contamination sources include leaking infrastructure, damaged bathrooms from storm surges, faulty septic tanks, and even waste from animals like birds and unkept dog parks. While fewer people swim in these inland waters, many still come into contact with them through activities like boating and fishing.
“When you see anything over four digits, it's extremely concerning to us. It indicates a persistent, ongoing problem in these areas,” Pierce said.
What About the Beaches?
Though inland waterways face significant contamination, bacteria levels are generally diluted before reaching Lee County’s beaches. The Florida Department of Health monitors these coastal waters, and by the time contaminated water reaches the Gulf, it is often significantly cleaner.
“In the water quality world, they always say the solution to pollution is dilution,” Pierce explained. “When this water makes its way to the coastal community, the beaches, it's probably not going to register because of the amount of dilution that takes place at that point.”
Still, enterococci bacteria, commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals, can cause infections, diseases, or rashes if ingested or contacted.
As Lee County's population grows, the fecal bacteria problem may worsen. To address this, the Calusa Waterkeeper has expanded its testing facility to the Calusa Nature Center. Their first sample from the new location was tested on November 16 and can be found on their website:
https://calusawaterkeeper.org/issues/bacteria-monitoring/
