No Swim Advisory Issued For Palma Sola South

BRADENTON, FL — Tampa Bay area residents and visitors with plans to dive into the waters at Palma Sola Beach South are asked to change their plans for the time being. The Florida Department of Health in Manatee County has issued a no swim advisory for the area.

“A no swim advisory indicates that water contact may pose an increased risk of infectious disease to humans,” the agency wrote in a Jan. 30 email to media.

The advisory was issued after water samples taken on Jan. 26 came back with elevated levels of enterococci bacteria. The water will be tested again on Feb. 6. Should that test show bacterial levels within acceptable ranges, the advisory will be lifted, the email said.

No other beaches in Manatee County are affected by the advisory. Palma Sola Beach South is located about 1,000 feet west of 81st Street West on the south side of the causeway.

Enteric bacteria is a concern because it may cause disease, infections or rashes in people. Enteric bacteria are found naturally in the intestinal tracks of animals and humans. Its presence in water is an indication of fecal pollution, which can be caused by water runoff, pets and wildlife and also human sewage.

Manatee County has conducted routine beach water quality screenings since August 2002 through the state’s Healthy Beaches Monitoring Program.

To check on the conditions of other beaches in the Tampa Bay area, visit the Florida Department of Health online.

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