The Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) announced on Friday its "Beach Water Quality Monitoring Program", which evaluates weekly water quality at popular swimming beaches throughout the territory by sampling for enterococci bacteria and turbidity, which is a measure of water clarity.
DPNR said it performed water quality analysis at 17 designated beaches throughout the territory during the week of December 11-15, 2017. The department said it did not sample beaches in St. Thomas this week, therefore the water quality at those beaches is unknown. The following beaches meet water quality standards and are safe for swimming or fishing:
St. Croix
Pelican Cove (Comorant)
Frederiksted Public Beach
Buccaneer
Gentle Winds
New Fort (Ft. Louise Augusta)
Halfpenny
Grapetree Bay
Princess Condo Row
Rainbow
St. John
Cruz Bay
Oppenheimer
Great Cruz Bay
Frank Bay
The following beaches do not meet water quality standards because they exceed the established enterococci bacteria threshold and therefore are not considered to be safe for swimming or fishing:
St. Croix St. John
Cane Bay Johnson Bay
Dorsch
Shoy’s
The following beaches could not be sampled because access to them or the use of their waters pose a risk to health and safety, and therefore the water quality at these beaches is unknown:
Stoney Ground
Protestant Cay
Cramer’s Park
Chenay Bay
D.P.N.R. said all persons should also be aware that storm water runoff due to hurricanes and tropical storms may also contain contaminants or pollutants harmful to human health due to storm debris and therefore all persons should use one’s own discretion when swimming or fishing and avoid areas of storm water runoff (i.e. guts, puddles, and drainage basins). If the waters appear muddy or murky or have foul odors, do not swim or fish. DPNR will continue to monitor the impacted areas and waters.
For additional information regarding water quality call the Division of Environmental Protection at 773-1082 in St. Croix or 774-3320 in St. Thomas.
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