Dangerous bacteria levels close Tampa beach through Memorial Day

TAMPA -- The Hillsborough County Health Department closed Picnic Island Park beach due to elevated levels of bacteria found in the waters, city of Tampa officials said in a statement. That means beachgoers won't be able to swim on Memorial Day.

The beach is closed to swimming until further notice. People can still sunbathe or picnic, but they should not enter the water, the city said.

Water samples are being analyzed for enteric bacteria -- both fecal coliform and enterococci -- that normally inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and animals, which may cause human disease, infections, or rashes, the city said.

Tampa Bay Water faces $1 million fine for overpumping

CLEARWATER -- Tampa Bay Water faces a potential fine of $1 million for overpumping from its 11 wellfields during the ongoing drought, the utility's general manager told the board Monday.

General Manager Gerald Seeber warned that the agency that would be imposing the fine, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, is likely to also require adding a "drought surcharge" to utility bills at its next meeting. The surcharge would be used to further discourage water users from wasting it.

Town 'n Country sewage spill releases 460,000 gallons into Sweetwater Creek

TOWN 'N COUNTRY -- A sewage spill Wednesday -- the third major break in seven months -- dumped an estimated 460,000 gallons of waste into Sweetwater Creek, a Hillsborough County official said today.

"If there is any good news in this it is we were notified quickly of the break," said Michelle Van Dyke, the spokeswoman for Hillsborough County Water Resources Services.

By contrast, an Oct. 12 break to that section of sewer line occurred in the middle of the night and dumped 1.8 million gallons of sewage into the creek, which empties into Old Tampa Bay, before it was stopped. An earlier break to the same stretch of pipe on Sept. 12 released 200,000 gallons of waste.

County officials plan to have a contractor put a bypass around the faulty section of sewer line. That work could begin as soon as next week. The county also had already planned to have a contractor replace 755 feet of the defective sewer line, which is north of Hillsborough Avenue and east of Hanley Road on Comanche Avenue. That $300,000 job had been scheduled to start in a few weeks, but officials are trying to accelerate the project.

Richard Danielson, Times Staff Writer

*

Cleanup for area beaches kicks off

TAMPA – Sea oats swayed in the breeze Thursday, and dolphin fins splashed not too far from shore as Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful kicked off its campaign for the Great American Cleanup.

During the event at the boat ramps off the Courtney Campbell, the group introduced its newest weapon in the annual cleanup effort -- Pete the Pirate Pelican.

Recession reduces garbage collection

Tampa Bay households and businesses are producing less trash during the recession, and collections at area landfills have dropped.

In a trend reported elsewhere in the country, area landfill operators say people buy less in hard times, leaving them with less to throw away. Also, people are more likely to repair than discard their belongings, operators say.

The Pinellas County landfill collected 977,258 tons of garbage in 2008, a 17 percent drop from the 2006 figure.

This year the landfill is on track to collect even less. An average of 73,000 tons of garbage has been coming in monthly. It has been more than a decade since the landfill has seen levels this low.

County solid waste operations manager Deb Bush said the connection between the down economy and reduced waste is direct and easy to recognize. When businesses close, fewer tourists visit and people go out less -- meaning restaurants and bars produce less refuse -- landfills aren’t as busy.

“We are definitely a trailing economic indicator,” Bush said. “Solid waste always has been.”

There’s more to the drop in collections than a breather for the environment and the virtue of thrift being born from necessity. The county gets revenue from tipping fees and from selling electricity that’s produced by incinerating garbage.

With collections go down, so does revenue, Bush said. However, with less trash to handle, operating costs have also dropped, she said, and the welfare of her solid waste operation isn't in jeopardy.

Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writer

*

Wildlife commission staff proposes ban on wild turtle harvest

After a public outcry, the staff of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has proposed banning the commercial harvest and sale of wild freshwater turtles.

Anclote Key fire contained

A wildfire Monday at Anclote Key Preserve State Park, 3 miles off the coast of Tarpon Springs, burned 50 acres before being contained, Florida Park Services spokeswoman Jessica Kemper said.

Swiftmud decides against drastic changes in watering restrictions

State water managers shied away from imposing the toughest possible watering restrictions on the Tampa Bay region today, saying they were concerned about the economic impact on agriculture and other industries. Click the link to read more or to post a comment on this story.

*

Tampa Bay reservoir nearly dry, prompting possible 'unprecedented' water restrictions

CLEARWATER -- Tampa Bay Water's 15-billion-gallon reservoir is about a month from being drained dry, a sign of just how dire the region's drought has become, utility officials said Monday.

Port of Tampa reopens

TAMPA -- The Port of Tampa has reopened after being closed overnight from a fuel spill Thursday night near the mouth of Tampa Bay. The impact on the environment and ship traffic appears to be minimal, authorites said.