A couple looking to build an $800,000 waterfront Gulfport home had their plans thwarted when it was discovered they did not actually own the seawall, which was purchased in 1921 by a now-defunct company.
A September 2014 sewer line break in unincorporated Pinellas County caused untreated wastewater to flow into a St. Petersburg neighborhood and Boca Ciega Bay at a rate of 250 to 500 gallons a minute. Now, researchers from the University of South Florida investigating the aftermath of the break have found dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the untreated wastewater that had gushed into both neighborhoods and Boca Ciega Bay. Their findings, just published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology and announced in a…
Spurred on by St. Petersburg’s release Tuesday of partially treated wastewater into Tampa Bay, state Rep. Kathleen Peters has called for a state investigation into the condition and capacity of the city’s sewer system. Peters, a Republican from South Pasadena, released this statement Thursday: “Over the past three years, the city of St. Petersburg has discharged significant amounts of partially treated sewage into the bays surrounding Pinellas County. Not only has St. Petersburg seen significant growth in population and new business, the…
Everyone knows about the Presidential Preference Primary March 15, but not as many know there are a bunch of municipalities packing ballots with local candidates as well. All of the Belleairs – Belleair, Belleair Beach, Belleair Bluffs and Belleair Shore – will have one council member or commission seat on the ballot each. Clearwater will elect a Mayor and two City Council members. Same goes for Gulfport. Indian Rocks beach will have two commission seats on the ballot as well…
St. Pete is discontinuing water sampling in areas where wastewater overflow was released in early August as a result of a heavy rain event. According to the city, all of the affected areas have been tested within Safe Beach criteria for at least one week. In some areas the levels of contaminants, particularly fecal coliform, have been within safe levels for three to five weeks. “All of the sample sites have demonstrated a long term consistency of results within the…
Gulfport residents and city officials weren’t happy with the City of St. Petersburg in early August when the city dumped 15 million gallons of untreated sewage into Clam Bayou resulting in Gulfport’s beach being shutdown due to unsafe contamination levels in Boca Ciega Bay. City Council was bombarded by residents lamenting there wasn’t enough communication between the cities regarding the dump. But now Gulfport is praising St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman for his collaboration with neighbors to clean up the…
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the sewage dumps in St. Pete that occurred August amid an extreme rain event. The agency’s law enforcement division confirmed the investigation Friday, according to the Tampa Bay Times. A spokesperson told the Times they couldn’t release much more information because the investigation is ongoing. “I’m disappointed that I’m having to learn about this from a member of the public and the media,” said City Council member Steve Kornell. In all,…
