2023-07-13 13:35:58
ALIE SKOWRONSKI [email protected]
Year following year, tourists from all over the world come to Florida in search of its warm temperatures and its beaches. But if you plan to visit any of these popular Sunshine State spots for fun and swimming anytime soon, you better watch out.
A report released in July found that 70 percent of 244 Florida beaches tested had potentially unsafe levels of fecal matter on at least one occasion, according to Environment America.
While half of the country’s beaches were found to be potentially unsafe, 85 percent of Gulf Coast beaches were potentially contaminated, the report said.
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HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?
The bacteria can quickly thrive on beaches from sewage spills, stormwater contamination and even from farm animal droppings, according to the report. Three trends have increased the risk of this type of contamination: urban works, antiquated wastewater systems and agricultural work.
Of all, sewage, however, is one of the most dangerous, as it also contains viruses and parasites.
WHAT RISK CAN BE TAKEN?
Swimming in polluted water can cause a host of health problems: stomach ailments, difficulty breathing, eye and ear infections, and skin hives, according to the report.
Each year, the United States reports regarding 57 million cases of illness related to swimming at beaches, although the vast majority of cases go unreported.
WHICH BEACHES IN SOUTH FLORIDA WERE CONSIDERED UNSAFE?
▪ South Beach in Key West returned unsafe 68 percent of the time
▪ Higgs Beach in Key West returned unsafe 46 percent of the time
▪ Dubois Park in Jupiter returned unsafe 22 percent of the time
▪ North Shore Ocean Terrace in Miami Beach returned unsafe 18 percent of the time
Translation by Jorge Posada
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