Cinco Bayou under another health advisory for high ‘enterococcus’ bacteria levels
Mon, August 24, 2026 at 4:24 PM
The City of Fort Walton Beach has another bacteria problem in Cinco Bayou. (WEAR)
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. — The City of Fort Walton Beach has another bacteria problem in Cinco Bayou
Just days after the Department of Health lifted one advisory, another one is out. Both advisories warn people about high levels of enterococcus bacteria in the water
County commissioners say they stem from different problems. That first notice came out at the beginning of August
Oxygen levels were low, fish were asphyxiating, and there was a sheen on top of the water
Commissioner chairman Trey Goodwin blames aging stormwater infrastructure for the current advisory. He says runoff from the extended afternoon rains last week is causing the current levels of enterococcus bacteria
People were advised to avoid any water-related activities in the bayou over the weekend. The bacteria can cause gastrointestinal illnesses
Goodwin says some infrastructure upgrades are set to start soon. He says while this is a step in the right direction, it won’t fix the problem
The bayou has several bodies of water that feeds into it. Goodwin says it will take coordination with the City of Fort Walton Beach and state entities
Hear more on the efforts by the county to address the bacteria levels in Cinco Bayou at 10 p.m
