UNSAFE BACTERIA LEVELS IN ESCAMBIA COUNTY

The Florida Department of Health’s “Healthy Beaches Program” has included three Escambia County bodies of water on a list of Florida beaches that had the highest percentage of days with unsafe bacteria levels. 187 of 261 Florida beaches tested last year were potentially unsafe for swimming at least one day during the year. Bayou Chico was number 5 on the list, Bayou Texar was number 6, and Sanders Beach number 11. The report said most water pollution is caused by runoff from roads and developments, sanitary sewer overflows and from agricultural waste and fertilizer.