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Florida Health Department lifts water advisory for North Fork of St. Lucie River
Even when Florida's waters are beautiful blue, dangers can lurk in the form of bacteria. Three are particularly troublesome, even deadly: Vibrio vulnificus, cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae) and enteric bacteria. TYLER TREADWAY/TCPALM Wochit
It's safe to swim in the North Fork of the St. Lucie River again.
The Florida Department of Health in St. Lucie County on Wednesday lifted warnings to stay out of the river at River Park Marina and Veterans Park, both in Port St. Lucie, after recent tests for enteric bacteria were in the acceptable range.
The warnings had been in place since July 14.
Enteric bacteria live in intestinal tracts of humans and animals, and their presence in recreational waters is a sign of fecal pollution.
The bacteria get in the water through stormwater runoff, pets, wildlife and human sewage. The high bacteria levels July 14 followed several days of heavy rain.
They are not related to Lake Okeechobee discharges; no water has been released from the lake to the St. Lucie River this year.
The health department tests sites along the St. Lucie River, Indian River Lagoon and ocean beaches every two weeks.