Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Manual Branch Water Quality topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City reports Manual Branch bacteria 'elevated but stable,' cites non‑human source markers and $6 million USDA NRCS grant
Summary
Environmental staff said long-term sampling shows elevated but stable bacteria at Manual Branch through Dec. 2025, that microbial-source-tracing has not found human markers, and that the city received a $6,000,000 USDA NRCS grant for debris removal and bank stabilization intended to improve flow and reduce bacteria habitat.
Justin Mahone, the city’s environmental compliance manager, presented historical sampling results and remediation plans for Manual Branch, a 2.5‑mile water body identified by EPA. Mahone said the city’s time series (data through December 2025) shows bacteria counts that are "elevated but stable," and that targeted microbial-source-tracing (MST) sampling has not detected human indicators (acetaminophen or human DNA marker HF183) since the consent-order sampling concluded. He said the pattern points to non‑point runoff and "first‑flush" spikes after heavy rainfall rather than a single, ongoing human point source.
Mahone described remediation and monitoring work completed and planned: monthly sampling at three sites (compliance at Manual Branch Community Park), a neighborhood water-and-sewer replacement project in May 2022, repair of a leaking private sewer line near Lift Station 8 in August 2025, ongoing windshield surveys to identify trash and sources, and proposed flow monitoring tied into a 10‑year, $60,000,000 SSES project to find defects. He also announced that the city received a $6,000,000 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service grant for debris removal, bank stabilization, vegetation trimming and demucking, with a target contractor notice-to-proceed in April 2026 and a completion target for Manual Branch in November 2026.
"So we're seeing an elevated but stable bacteria level," Mahone said, and explained that techniques such as increasing UV exposure by removing canopy, restoring flow, and demucking could reduce bacterial colonization and improve flushing. Councilmembers pressed about private ownership, DEP thresholds (410 colony-forming units ambient threshold for FDEP), and how to trigger state investigations; Mahone said the data and collaboration with groups such as the Waterkeeper could prompt DEP involvement. Staff also said grants are competitive but the recently awarded USDA NRCS funds will support bank stabilization and debris removal in multiple waterways in the project scope.
