DPNR To Residents: Stay Away From Coastal Waters Until Further Notice

ST. CROIX — The Department of Planning and Natural Resources has issued a press release warning the territory’s residents to “refrain from using the coastal waters throughout the territory until further notification.”

DPNR’s Division of Environmental Protection (DEP) anticipates that negative environmental impacts will be caused by storm water runoff.

The government agency has also advised parents to instruct their children to keep away from storm water impacted beaches as well as areas with manholes and storm water flooding. There may be an elevated health risk to anyone swimming in storm water impacted areas as a result of increased concentrations of bacteria, DPNR said.

All persons should also be aware that storm water runoff may also contain contaminants or pollutants harmful to human health and therefore should avoid areas of storm water runoff (i.e. guts, puddles, and drainage basins), the government agency concluded.

DPNR says it 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.

Tags: dpnr, hurricane danny

Ernice Gilbert
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