Misconceptions and Deceptions – Marco Canal Water Quality

Former Councilor Richard Blonna defends the Marco Island “4e” plan, which is based on an impairment of the canals for nitrogen that does not exist. Marco has not been impaired for nitrogen for four years now. What happened? The sewage treatment plant had increased nitrogen in the sewage reuse water by 120% between 2009 and 2018 and drove the Marco canals into nitrogen impairment. Beginning 2019 the sewage plant dropped the nitrogen in the reuse water back to normal levels and the impairment went away. The 4e remediation plan is BOGUS.

Blonna notes that the Marco Island canals are still on the impaired list for nitrogen. We must be unimpaired for three years to be taken off the list. We are just waiting for the slow government to take the city off a silly list. The “matrix” details over $45,000,000 of foolish city projects to “remediate” the non-existent nitrogen impairment. City wants to claim Marco is still nitrogen impaired to justify projects that make it look like they are doing something about water quality when no real water quality projects are taking place at all. A GROSS WASTE of public funds coupled with INACTION on true water quality problems.

Marco canals entered impairment for phosphorus in October 2024. The phosphorus limit was exceeded, just for the month. If this trend continues, the canals will be impaired for phosphorus in 2025. Same thing for chlorophyll (indicator of algae) which is approaching the impairment level. 

Guess what? Blonna does not understand that the Marco canals are NOW on the official FDEP impairment list for OXYGEN. Marco canals are approaching TRIPLE impairment. Marco spending to correct these three real problems? ZERO!

A statistical connection was made between high phosphorus in the canal water and low oxygen levels. Blonna claims that this is a subjective judgment. Blonna should know better. Statistics are OBJECTIVE.