beach closed??? WHY????

This is what I saw on the St Thomas AOL boards>Beach water quality--old or new news???

However, the following beach does not meet the water quality standards for swimming or fishing:

ST. Thomas
Secret Harbor

From the STT Source:

" Commissioner Plaskett is advising the public to refrain from using the waters at the beach mentioned above. This includes activities such as fishing and bathing. The Commissioner is also advising parents to please instruct their children to keep away from the above-mentioned area.

There may be an increased health risk to anyone swimming in these areas as a result of an increased concentration of bacteria. All persons should also be aware that storm-water runoff may also contain contaminants or pollutants harmful to human health and therefore all persons should avoid areas of storm-water runoff (i.e.: guts, puddles, and drainage basins).

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. "

That is an old story. Happened right at the end of July beginning of August when STT got hit with those heavy rains. The following week, by the time we got there, DPNR had been back and declared the beach safe. Heard a report on WVWI this week saying that the latest DPNR report had no problem beaches on either STJ or STT.

Maybe so, but here is the whole article with the dates:

Beach Advisory Week of Sept. 12-16.
Sept. 17, 2005 - Commissioner Dean C. Plaskett, Esq., of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) announces that the Division of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Beach Water Quality Monitoring Program, which evaluates weekly water quality at 43 popular swimming beaches throughout the Territory, advises the public of the following:

DPNR-DEP performed water quality analysis at the 43 designated beaches throughout the territory during the week of September 12- September 16, 2005. The following beaches meet water quality standards and are safe for swimming or fishing:

St. Croix

Stony Ground
Princess (Condo Row)
Dorsch
Protestant Cay
Teague Bay
Chenay Bay
NewFort(Ft. Louise Augusta)
Spratt Hall
Buccaneer
Davis Bay
CaneBay
Cramer Park
Grapetree Bay
Pelican Cove (Comorant)
Gentle Winds
Rainbow
Columbus Landing
Shoy's
Frederiksted Public Beach (First Target)
Halfpenny

St. Thomas

Water Bay
Limetree
Lindquist
Sapphire
Magens Bay
Vessup Bay
Bluebeards
Coki Point
Bolongo Bay
Frenchman's Bay
Lindberg Bay
Brewers Bay
Hull Bay
Morningstar

St. John

Oppenhiemer
Francis Bay
Klain Bay
Hart Bay
Chocolate Hole
Frank Bay
Cruz Bay
Great Cruz Bay

However, the following beach does not meet the water quality standards for swimming or fishing:

ST. Thomas
Secret Harbor

Commissioner Plaskett is advising the public to refrain from using the waters at the beach mentioned above. This includes activities such as fishing and bathing. The Commissioner is also advising parents to please instruct their children to keep away from the above-mentioned area.

There may be an increased health risk to anyone swimming in these areas as a result of an increased concentration of bacteria. All persons should also be aware that storm-water runoff may also contain contaminants or pollutants harmful to human health and therefore all persons should avoid areas of storm-water runoff (i.e.: guts, puddles, and drainage basins).

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.

Thanks for the update.

The same thing happened after the heavy rains at the beginning of August. By the time the reports got posted, the situation had corrected itself. Hopefully the radio reports of the past couple days are indicative of the same thing happening. I would think a phone call to DPNR would get you the latest info if you are on-island and thinking of using the beach.

Hello Ellen, Ginger & BaJo,

The water at popular beaches is tested weekly and the results are posted on the Dept. of Planning and Natural Resources website under Notices. You can visit it at http://www.dpnr.gov.vi/notices.htm, click on beach advisories.

Secret Harbor is listed in the "meet water quality standards and is safe for swimming or fishing" section for this last weeks testing.

--Islander

Thanks Islander
As I said I just saw it on the AOL St Thomas message boards & was just passing it on. It is good that they test the beach water on the islands. They should do it more in the states which they do but none of it gets in the local papers lol.

Thanks Islander
I've bookmark the site so I can keep an eye on it for awhile. Hopefully the water will be fine when we arrive. I am so looking forward to this wonderful beach. Nice to know that they are so vigilant with the water quality.

USVI beaches are normally very clean....moreso than the BVI. I think it has to do with the tight US waste disposal regulations re: watercraft. (BVI being one of the world's top sailing destiations - and not managing their sea waste (or whatever the nautical term is) as carefully as we do).

Now imagine being a captive dolphin in those waters - oh, sorry, that's another topic 🙂