What Was the Issue on Perdido Bay this Week?

This past week starting on Monday morning--I was inundated with phone calls, emails, and Facebook messages from constituents who wanted to know one thing: what was going on in Perdido Bay?   Many residents believed there had been a sewage spill--and these folks wanted answers immediately.  And I wanted answers too!

So we mobilized county staff and they IMMEDIATELY went out and began sampling the water that day.  They also coordinated with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Alabama Department of Environmental Protection, and other environmental non-profits in both Florida and Alabama to help get to the bottom of the mystery.

On Tuesday, we received our first results, which I will post here, below.  Here were the sample breakdowns:

Site	Water Temp (C°)	Conductivity (uhmos/cm)	Salinity (psu)	DO (mg/L)	DO % Saturation	pH	Turbidity (NTU)	Entero   (MPN/100mL)
12960 Ogden Dr	29.48	15362.4	9.1	7.46	102.2	7.81	3.41
1181 Perdido Manor Dr.	30.13	22200.6	13.6	6.48	92	7.72	6.95
Lazy Acres	30.36	13854.8	8.1	7.05	97.6	7.5	2.67

On Wednesday afternoon--commissioners were provided with the definitive answers about what it was that was causing the issues on Perdido Bay--when we received the below correspondence from County Environmental Director Chips Kirschenfeld:

"Hi Commissioners,

Escambia County scientists from the Natural Resources Management Department responded on Monday to water quality concerns regarding reports of floating algae mats and possible high bacteria concentrations in Perdido Bay.  Field personnel collected three separate samples along the Florida side of the Bay north and south of the Lillian bridge.

Samples were analyzed in the Escambia County Water Quality Laboratory for enterococci bacteria which are an indicator of possible fecal contamination in marine or brackish waters.  County test results from Monday afternoon show low levels of enterococci bacteria well below the Florida water quality standard.  The Florida Department of Health uses 70 colonies/100 mL as their threshold for issuing a health advisory under the Healthy Beaches Program.  All three of the county samples collected earlier this week were below 20 colonies/100mL. 

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) reported recent enterocci bacteria results for 6 bathing beaches on the Alabama side of Perdido Bay.  All of these most recent samples were below levels of concern and in the normal range of water quality.    

Wednesday morning, we received enterococci results from the Mobile BayKeeper from samples collected Monday on the Alabama side of the Bay.  According to the correspondence received, the Alabama samples did not exceed the USEPA threshold for safe swimming.  The Mobile BayKeeper indicated this morning that there is “no evidence there has been a  sewage spill or other release of human fecal matter.”   The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has received no reports of sewage spills on the Florida side of the Bay.

Also received Wednesday morning, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) conducted DNA based tests (HF183 & Humm2) to evaluate for human markers of wastewater.  All three of the FDEP samples were non-detect for these markers suggesting the material of concern is not human sewage.

The algae mats observed are Lyngbya and Spirulina (blue-green algae in the Cyanobacteria phylum).  These algal species are commonly found in warm brackish waters.  A diverse bacterial community and diatoms are often found living within the matrix of the algae.  Some of these bacteria may produce hydrogen sulfide and methane gas which can smell like rotten eggs or sewage.

Please contact me if you have any questions, thanks.

Taylor “Chips” Kirschenfeld

Escambia County Senior Scientist

Department Director, Natural Resources Management Department"