PONCE DE LEON — Melissa and Charles Wyzard had been swimming at Morrison Springs for 30 minutes when a Walton County sheriff’s deputy pulled up and got them out of the water.
The deputy learned they were there from the Walton County Health Department’s surveillance video at the popular park. He wanted to warn them that they were swimming in water closed because of high bacteria content.
“We thought it was odd how few people were there. It’s usually packed, but we saw divers in the water so we got in,” Melissa Wyzard said later.
The Panama City couple got out of the water in a panic and showered in hopes they wouldn’t get sick from their exposure to fecal matter.
Wyzard says Morrison Springs needs better signs for swimming advisories.
“The warnings are these little white signs that might as well have said, ‘Welcome to Florida’,” she said. “The signs don’t draw your attention.”
There are eight such signs at the park. Each features a Florida Health logo above an advisory about water conditions and a no-swimming symbol.
Crystal Steele, environmental manager with the Health Department, said advisories are posted and notices are sent to local media when there are health concerns.
Swimming advisories have been in effect at the park for most of the year. The most recent closure has been in place since May 29.
Steele said the water is tested at least once a week when there are problems.
“This is the most we’ve had to shut it down,” Steele said. “It typically happens when it rains excessively, which it has this year.
“All we can do is post an advisory that the (test) sample is coming back high.”
The advisory states the water has high bacterial levels and says swimming is not recommended. It also tells swimmers there is a risk of illness and gives the telephone number for the Health Department.
“If it’s that hazardous to people’s health, why doesn’t it say you cannot go into water?” Wyzard asked. “Why not lock the gates?”
“Right now, it reads like, ‘Just so you know, you might not want to swim in there.’ I usually let things go, but that really bothered me. Warn us, please.”
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Angel McCurdy at 850-315-4432 or amccurdy@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @AngelMnwfdn.
