The recent sewage spills into Pinellas County waterways have caused concern for many residents in the area.
But for one Gulfport woman, it's a difficult reminder of a similar situation three decades prior that she believes affects her health and quality of life to this day.
- Lori Hebert suffers from speech, congnitive issues
- Hebert's health affected by swimming in Boca Ciega Bay
- 1983 sewage spill in bay believed to have caused Hebert's ongoing problems
Lori Hebert was 7 years old in 1983. She swam almost every day in the waters of Boca Ciega Bay.
But she and her family did not realize at the time that sewage had been dumped into the water. Hebert believes swimming in those contaminated waters caused permanent damage to her health.
“I still suffer from organic brain problems related to this,” said Hebert. “The doctors told me I had inflammation on the brain caused by an infection, mostly likely picked up from swimming.”
Three decades ago, sewage released into Boca Ciega Bay was blamed for the deaths of 70 pelicans. An old newspaper article from 1983 about the sewage spills quotes a microbiologist as saying the dead pelicans were full of every kind of bacteria.
Hebert’s father says there were no warning signs posted at the beach. It wasn’t until she was hospitalized and unable to walk and talk that he went for a closer look.
“I went down to the beach,” said Ted Hebert. “I saw the matter floating in the water. It was totally untreated. I haven’t been back there in 35 years.”
Hebert also believes bacteria from human waste caused her illness. She still suffers from cognitive issues and speech problems.
Hebert said she wants to tell her story to show people the possible dangers of the sewage spills, and to convince local governments to demand transparency.
“The politicians say over and over again that the sewage spills are no big deal,” said Hebert. “They say It’s diluted, the bay flushes. Well, it doesn’t flush. It didn’t flush for me.”