On top of the damage and lost lives left behind from Hurricane Ian, Florida may be dealing with pollution for months.
The hurricane dumped raw sewage into waterways and is being blamed for bacterial infections.
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In the weeks following the storm’s inundation, millions of gallons of spills were reported around the state from overflowing wastewater.
🟠Just a little heads-up, those are blackwater streams (so some brownish discoloration is normal), but they now transport additional water, sediments, and stormwater runoff caused by Hurricane Ian. All of this is being mixed and creating those highly visible plumes. pic.twitter.com/9BgkcM2oKj
— Pierre Markuse (@Pierre_Markuse) October 1, 2022
Areas far from landfall were hit with nearly two feet of rain causing higher volumes of inflow into sanitary sewers. At Orlando’s Iron Bridge Water Reclamation Facility, floodwaters, heavy inflow and high groundwater levels caused severe loading on the plant with an estimated 73,900,000 gallons escaping the system.
Power outages backed up sewers. Getting wastewater from homes to treatment facilities requires electricity to run lift stations that pump wastewater from about 10 feet deep up to cleaning plants.
Along the Gulf coast, contaminated water in sewer stations unloaded harmful bacteria and viruses into the waterways and scientists say it could take months before the tides flush out the pollution.
Marine biologists collected water samples at numerous locations along the Gulf with dangerous bacteria that could cause human infections. Some levels of E. coli attributed to feces are six to ten times above DEP limits.
Too many nutrients in the water can drop oxygen levels to the point that fish have a difficult time surviving. It may also make red tides more severe.
The most recent red tide bloomed recently offshore southwest Florida in the wake of the hurricane. Red tide offshore of Sarasota Lee and Charlotte County all have high concentrations.
The connection between red tide and hurricanes is not overly clear but scientists say the natural red tide phenomenon could be exacerbated by nutrient pollution from human activity.
The University of Florida and the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation have been assessing water quality impacts along the coast. They plan on collecting samples in November and through April 2023 thanks to grants from the EPA and the Corps.