The Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County (DOH-Okaloosa) has issued a health advisory for the Santa Rosa Sound from the Brooks Bridge in Fort Walton Beach to Hurlburt Field Air Force Base.
- This is due to a wastewater release entering near Sleepy Hollow Road in Mary Esther.
Waters contaminated with wastewater presents several health hazards to humans and may contain untreated human sewage with microbes that could cause gastro-intestinal and other diseases, according to the DOH.
“Anyone who comes into contact with the affected waterway should wash thoroughly, especially before eating or drinking,” they said in a press release. “Children and older adults, as well as people with weakened immune systems, are particularly vulnerable to disease so every precaution should be taken if in contact with the affected waters.”
Jacobs Engineering Group is performing water quality monitoring and testing, and once satisfactory results are achieved, the health advisory will be lifted.
For more information about the potential health effects of wastewater overflow, residents and visitors are encouraged to contact DOH-Okaloosa at (850) 833-9247 or visit www.healthyokaloosa.com.
