St. Petersburg still figuring out discolored water near Demens Landing

ST. PETERSBURG — City officials are still trying to figure out what caused the “recurring sheen” that residents saw downtown last week on the water at Demens Landing.

“So far, the sheen seems to come and go, making it difficult to identify what is causing it,” said St. Petersburg spokesperson Janelle Irwin Taylor. “As of right now, the City has not noticed or received reports of adverse effects on human health or the environment.”

Someone reported the issue via the SeeClickFix website May 1, describing the sheen as a “very visible gas/oil leak.” It was located near the St. Petersburg Municipal Marina. A city account replied, saying the report was forwarded to the stormwater department. A follow-up post said staffers “could not locate the source.”

A Tampa Bay Times reporter saw a patchy shimmer in the water under the bridge to Demens Landing about noon last Monday.

“We will continue to monitor the site to identify the source of the sheen and will take appropriate steps once a source is identified,” Irwin Taylor said.