MARINE WATER QUALITY REPORT
For the week of August 23, 2007
The Division of Environmental Quality has raised the red flag on 17 sites on Saipan and advises the public not to fish or swim within 300 feet of these locations for the next 48 hours or until otherwise notified.
The agency said samples collected from Nikko Hotel, Aqua Resort Hotel, Tanapag Meeting Hall, Central Repair Shop, DPW Channel Bridge, S. Puerto Rico Dump, Smiling Cove Marina, American Memorial Park, Outer Cove Marina, Micro Beach, Hyatt Hotel, Fiesta Resort, Fiesta (Dai Ichi) Drainage, Hafa Adai Drainage, Garapan Fishing Dock, Garapan Beach, and Community School Beach contained excessive concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria-enterococci-that exceeded the CNMI Marine Water Quality Standards.
These bacteria can indicate the presence of human and animal waste in the water. However, studies have shown that storm water runoff in tropical environments may also contain these bacteria from the natural environment, which may not be directly associated with public health concerns.
Water samples collected this week from Tinian and Managaha Island passed water quality standards and are assigned green flags.
DEQ analyzes samples of marine recreational and storm drainage water from 38 locations on Saipan, 10 on Tinian, and analyzes a total of 11 samples from the shore surrounding Managaha. The agency welcomes all inquiries as to the quality of the beach water. The public is encouraged to contact DEQ at 664-8500 with any questions concerning this matter.
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DEQ would like to create a mailing list for individuals and organizations interested in receiving marine water quality reports (red flags) on a weekly basis. If you do not wish to receive red flag notices, please reply to this message.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
DIVISION of ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
P O Box 501304 Saipan, MP 96950 Tel: 670.664.8500 Fax: 670.664.8540
Website: www.deq.gov.mp Email: environment@deq.gov.mp
2 comments:
Just dunk your head in your own toilet bowl this weekend, should be about the equivalent to swimming in the ocean.
And your readers were, at one time, concerned about the designated "peeing areas" in the local swimming pools: Maybe we should have one in the lagoon! (Oh, and lest anyone react as they did to the above-referred piece: This comment is posted for your amusement only: It is not a serious recommendation. The writer does not promote formation of a designated peeing area in the Lagoon, nor does he condone entry of untreated human waste into the ocean in any manner.).
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