SARASOTA COUNTY – A ‘no swim’ advisory has been issued for several Sarasota County beaches.
As a precaution, Sarasota County health officials issued a “no swim’ advisory on Longboat Key, Bird Key Park/ Ringling Causeway, Turtle Beach, Nokomis Beach, Brohard Beach, Casperson Beach, Manasota Key, and Blind Pass.
The advisory was issued due to the amount of enterococcus bacteria found during water quality testing on Monday.
The beach remains open, but swimming and water recreation are not recommended as long as the advisory is in place.
Enterococcus bacteria can come from a variety of natural and human-made sources, including pet waste, livestock, birds, wildlife, storm water runoff, and human sewage from failed septic systems and sewage spills.
The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County will be resampling beaches on Friday, Aug. 6.