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State to stop tests for bacteria at 58 beaches statewide
Aug. 15, 2011
To save more than $500,000 a year, Florida health officials will stop weekly tests for bacteria at 58 beaches statewide, including Patrick Air Force Base.
Patrick was the only site to be dropped — effective July 5 — of nine beach sites in Brevard County that undergo weekly testing for bacteria.
"It's because it's a federal beach location," said Cindy Leckey, a supervisor at Brevard County Health Department.
Federal sites were among the 58 locations dropped from the state's list of 304 testing sites.
The Department of Health also cut testing at beaches with fewer problems or low attendance and discontinued tests for fecal coliform.
Officials had been testing for that bacteria every other week but consider enterococcus bacteria a better indicator of dangerous contamination from disease-causing pathogens.
All the testing changes will save the state $525,000. An expected $539,000 federal grant will pay for the remaining testing statewide.
Brevard beaches exceeded bacteria standards in 3 percent of the tests in 2010, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council's 21st annual beach water report, released in June.
The county tied with Sarasota County for 13th in the state for the cleanliness of the waters tested.
The eight beaches still tested in Brevard posted good results this week.
"They all came back passing," Leckey said.
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