BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health has lifted a "no swim" advisory it implemented following Hurricane Dorian after officials tested the water and deemed it to be safe.
- 'No swim' advisory lifted in Brevard County
- Officials say this is standard procedure for coastal counties
- Water was tested, deemed safe to swim in, says DOH
Officials announced the results in a press release Tuesday evening.
According to the DOH, "no swim" advisories are a precaution after large events that cause turbulence in ocean waters, possible storm run-off, etc. This is a standard procedure for coastal counties.
“When you get a major rain event, we have sewage discharge, we have waste water failing, storm water flushing pollutants that end up in storm drain then our water systems,” said Dr. Leesa Souto, Marine Resources Council Executive Director.
After Dorian, DOH officials did not recommend swimming in water because of bacteria, which can cause rashes and diseases, especially if you have an open cut.
Souto knows all too well what can happen when these advisories are not followed.
“When I was young after the hurricanes, the weather would brighten up and (be) beautiful, and the surfers would go out in the waves, and I was one of them, I ended up getting a sinus infection and ear infection from the bacteria in the water,” she explained.
Brevard County resident Gary McCoury enjoys bringing Sam, his service dog, to Canova Dog Beach, but earlier, he had found out there was a ‘no swimming’ advisory.
Since there are no lifeguard towers in Canova Dog Beach, he informed other dog owners about the advisory.
“What are you doing in the water? (There’s) all kinds of stuff in there. I’ll tell them word of mouth not to be in the water,” McCoury said.
The official results can be found on the Healthy Beaches website.