Construction sediment turns Naples Beach water brown, city responds

NAPLES, Fla. (WINK)— Beachgoers at Naples Beach were alarmed Tuesday when they watched the Gulf water turn murky brown in real time.

City officials say it was caused by a temporary release of stormwater and sediment during construction work. Water testing was done at the outfalls along Third Avenue and First Avenue North close to the murky water.

According to the city, crews were connecting a large pipe as part of the stormwater beach outfall project when built-up sediment inside the system was knocked loose and flowed out into the Gulf. They quickly stopped work and tested the water, which came back safe.

"When I came out of the water part of my swimsuit turned brown and I was just thinking what is going on here," said Kayla Karian, a beachgoer.

Karian says Naples Beach is her go-to spot known for its clear water and picture perfect views. But Tuesday was different.

"I looked at my friend Barry and he saw work going on, so it might of been something that had happen we didn't know," Karian said.

At first, she worried the discoloration could be something more serious.

"At first I thought it was red tide," Karian said.

City officials say crews were connecting a large pipe when sediment that had built up inside the system over months was dislodged and released into the outfall. The city says once crews noticed what was happening, they shut it down right away.

Testing done nearby shows water quality stayed below safety limits. Still, people said it was alarming to see.

"I actually had him look up like if the water was toxic or not, because I was a little nervous, and we just couldn't find anything," Karian said.

Kevin Ruland says he watched the change happen right before his eyes.

"All sudden this brown the water came down from the north," Ruland said.

He says the change was noticeable enough that some people decided to call it a day.

"We didn't know if was where you can go in the water and be in there, or like people were leaving because they didn't want to be, and it was kind of smell like the seaweed smell or dirty water smell," Ruland said.

Even though the city says the water is safe, people still question if it could happen again while this project is still underway.

The City of Naples released the following statement regarding the dark plume observed in the Gulf:

Today, as part of the City’s Stormwater Beach Outfall Project, construction crews began connecting the 36-inch FPVC pipe running from Alligator Lake to Vault 1, located at the intersection of 3rd Avenue North and Gulf Shore Boulevard North. During construction of Vault 1, the pipe had remained plugged for approximately four to five months, resulting in a significant accumulation of sediment within the system.

During the connection process, the sediment removal tank became overloaded, causing a limited amount of sediment-laden water to overflow into the outfall pipe and discharge into the Gulf. Upon being notified of the situation, City staff immediately directed crews to plug the pipe and halt the discharge.

Water quality testing was conducted at the 3rd Avenue North and 1st Avenue North outfalls. Results showed turbidity levels of 18.4 NTUs and 27.3 NTUs, respectively, both below the project’s established threshold of 29 NTUs.

The dark plume observed offshore is primarily the result of suspended sediment that had accumulated within the stormwater system during construction. Upon notification, the discharge was immediately stopped, and water quality testing confirmed turbidity levels remained below the project’s established threshold.

The City will continue to monitor water quality and work with the contractor to implement additional measures to capture and remove accumulated sediment before future discharges occur. Protecting the health of our beaches and nearshore waters remains a priority throughout construction of the Stormwater Beach Outfall Project.