Sarasota, Manatee bayside beaches graded for water safety

In a summary of its 2025 water testing of beaches in Sarasota and Manatee counties, Suncoast Waterkeepers on Feb. 5 released its Safe to Swim Review of a dozen sites along Sarasota Bay and adjacent waters.

The Sarasota Sailing Squadron site on the tip of City Island received the highest summary score, a B, which it shared with Manatee County’s Emerson Point Preserve, which overlooks the mouth of Tampa Bay on the north shore of the Manatee River.

Florida’s Department of Health regularly tests gulf-facing beaches and alerts the region when unsafe levels of enterococci bacteria are found – typically in warmer months and months of heavy rainfall.

“Suncoast Waterkeeper fills a critical gap by monitoring many popular recreational areas not included in the statewide program, aiming to keep the community informed about water quality at their favorite Suncoast spots,’’ the organization said.

In some cases, a matter of less than a mile made a big difference in water quality, often connected to proximity to open gulf waters.

On the north end of Longboat Key, for instance, Florida’s Department of Health most recently graded the gulf-facing Whitney Beach as an A, but down Broadway Street at the town’s Linley Street Boat Ramp, about a half-mile in a straight line, the Suncoast Waterkeepers graded water there F+ for 2025.

Indeed, all of the area’s gulf-facing beaches received A grades in the most recent testing by FDOH, including Bird Park – about a mile from the Sarasota Sailing Squadron’s beach graded a B by the Suncoast Waterkeepers.

“To best protect public health, we interpret our water quality data using stringent bathing beach standards, even though the sites are not officially designated as such,’’ Suncoast Waterkeepers said of its 12 graded sites.