4 Beaches Not Safe, 4 Could Not Be Tested This Weekend, D.P.N.R. Warns

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:

St. Croix                         

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.

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