Remove Septic Tanks on beaches and lakes

[Jim Tucker]

It's past time to have these removed! It's South Walton's dirty little secret. There are septic tanks and drain fields that drain right into the coastal dune lakes and onto the beaches.

There are drain fields right under the sand on the beaches in many places.

Don't believe it? Look at these photos of Little Alligator Lake next to Gulf Trace in Grayton Beach in 2005 - http://www.sowal.com/photo-archive/photos-080305.html

That is styrofoam from drainfields washed out in Gulf Trace. The homeowners there are too cheap to hook up to sewer even though Regional Utilities gave them a deal.
They should be FORCED to hook up and remove the drain fields!

Any lake you see with a house on it probably has drain fields - Grayton Beach has a lot of them - you know the lake outlet where kids like to play? Often has unsafe bacteria levels.

 

[Jim Tucker]

[h=3]FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Crystal Steele[/h] June 21, 2012 850-892-8021, ext 1139
[h=3][/h]WALTON COUNTY WEEKLY BEACH SAMPLING RESULTS Walton County Saltwater Beach Monitoring Results Walton County - The Walton County Health Department has been conducting saltwater beach water quality monitoring at seven sites once every week since August 1, 2000, through the Healthy Beaches Monitoring Program. The water samples are being analyzed for enteric bacteria (enterococci) that normally inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and animals, which may cause human disease, infections, or rashes. The presence of enteric bacteria is an indication of fecal pollution, which may come from stormwater runoff, pets and wildlife, and human sewage. The purpose of the Healthy Beaches Monitoring Program is to determine whether Florida has significant coastal beach water quality problems and whether future beach monitoring efforts are necessary.

[TD="bgcolor: transparent"] Site
[/TD]
[TD="width: 151, bgcolor: transparent"]

Name​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 98, bgcolor: transparent"]

Enterococci​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 81, bgcolor: transparent"]

Water Quality​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 125, bgcolor: transparent"]

Enterococci Geometric Mean​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 81, bgcolor: transparent"]

Water Quality​

[/TD]

[TD="width: 49, bgcolor: transparent"] SP-1
[/TD]
[TD="width: 151, bgcolor: transparent"] Miramar Beach [/TD]
[TD="width: 98, bgcolor: transparent"]

548​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 81, bgcolor: transparent"]

Poor​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 125, bgcolor: transparent"]

52.48​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 81, bgcolor: transparent"]

Poor​

[/TD]

[TD="width: 49, bgcolor: transparent"] SP-3
[/TD]
[TD="width: 151, bgcolor: transparent"]

Dune Allen Beach​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 98, bgcolor: transparent"]

28​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 81, bgcolor: transparent"]

Good​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 125, bgcolor: transparent"]

15.06​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 81, bgcolor: transparent"]

Good​

[/TD]

[TD="width: 49, bgcolor: transparent"] SP-4
[/TD]
[TD="width: 151, bgcolor: transparent"] Blue Mountain Beach [/TD]
[TD="width: 98, bgcolor: transparent"]

572​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 81, bgcolor: transparent"]

Poor​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 125, bgcolor: transparent"]

30.21​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 81, bgcolor: transparent"]

Good​

[/TD]

[TD="width: 49, bgcolor: transparent"] SP-5
[/TD]
[TD="width: 151, bgcolor: transparent"] Grayton Beach [/TD]
[TD="width: 98, bgcolor: transparent"]

304​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 81, bgcolor: transparent"]

Poor​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 125, bgcolor: transparent"]

39.07​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 81, bgcolor: transparent"]

Poor​

[/TD]

[TD="width: 49, bgcolor: transparent"] SP-7
[/TD]
[TD="width: 151, bgcolor: transparent"] Holly Street Beach [/TD]
[TD="width: 98, bgcolor: transparent"]

92​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 81, bgcolor: transparent"]

Moderate​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 125, bgcolor: transparent"]

15.55​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 81, bgcolor: transparent"]

Good​

[/TD]

[TD="width: 49, bgcolor: transparent"] SP-8
[/TD]
[TD="width: 151, bgcolor: transparent"]

Eastern​

Lake Beach [/TD]
[TD="width: 98, bgcolor: transparent"]

328​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 81, bgcolor: transparent"]

Poor​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 125, bgcolor: transparent"]

34.76​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 81, bgcolor: transparent"]

Good​

[/TD]

[TD="width: 49, bgcolor: transparent"] SP-9
[/TD]
[TD="width: 151, bgcolor: transparent"] Inlet Beach Access [/TD]
[TD="width: 98, bgcolor: transparent"]

356​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 81, bgcolor: transparent"]

Poor​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 125, bgcolor: transparent"]

42.20​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 81, bgcolor: transparent"]

Poor​

[/TD]

​

Water quality classifications are based upon the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) recommended
standard for enterococci of greater than or equal to 104 colony forming units per 100 milliliters of marine water.
Health Advisories have been issued for Miramar Beach, Blue Mountain Beach, Grayton Beach, Eastern Lake Beach and
Inlet Beach Access based on the enterococci standard recommended by the EPA. This should be considered a potential
health risk to the bathing public.
If you should have any questions, please contact the Walton County Health Department at (850) 892-8021, or visit the Department of Health’s Internet Beach Water Quality website www.doh.state.fl.us, click on “Floridians and Visitors” – under “Food, Water, Air, Land,” choose “Beach Water Quality.”

 

[reece]

water quality advisory

hi
i just saw on my FB page from the sheriff that the health dept issued an advisory for several beaches in so wal. does anyone have any info on this? does anyone even pay attention to this stuff? i'm betting 99% of the people on the beach don't even know about it and are happily frolicking in the beautiful water right now

 

[Mayor of 30a]

Won't matter tommorow will be Doubke reds

 

[lauralbardin]

water quality advisory

They shouldn't be in water on red flags. And health advisories are posted at all public beach accesses. But again- shouldn't be in water...

 

[NotDeadYet]

The advisory is here on this thread:
http://sowal.com/bb/showthread.php/62163-Remove-Septic-Tanks-on-beaches-and-lakes

That's a pretty lame comment that it doesn't matter since it's red flags. Would it matter to you if it were green or yellow flags??
IMHO it ought to matter to all of us - what is the source(s) of this bacteria and what can we do about it??

 

[Jim Tucker]

Septic Tanks - as the other thread says.

 

[NotDeadYet]

Septic Tanks - as the other thread says.

I have no doubt that is a factor. What I am wondering is if that is the only source.

 

[lauralbardin]

water quality advisory

Always amazing how rude some people can be- post your comment without putting down someone else- just saying... It's uncalled for...

 

[Jim Tucker]

Always amazing how rude some people can be- post your comment without putting down someone else- just saying... It's uncalled for...

Huh?