Palma Sola South All Clear For Swimming: Health Department

BRADENTON, FL — Swimmers who have been missing the water at Manatee County’s Palma Sola Beach South can once again dive in, according to the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County. A no swim advisory issued late last month for the beach has been lifted.

The no swim advisory was announced on Jan. 30 after routine samples drawn from the beach’s water came back with unsatisfactory levels of enterococci bacteria. Since enterococci can cause infections and disease in humans, the advisory was put into place.

Water samples drawn on Feb. 6 tested in acceptable ranges, the health department announced Wednesday.

No other beaches in Manatee County were 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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