Steps Beach, Tres Palams Marine Reserve

Source Information

Surfrider Foundation’s Blue Water Task force is a volunteer-run, citizen science initiative and water quality monitoring program. The Rincon Blue Water Task Force tests both marine and freshwater sites for enterococcus, a coliform bacteria that indicates fecal pollution. Testing is conducted on a weekly basis year-round. After the island was devastated by Hurricane Maria in the Fall of 2017, there was a complete lack of any government-run water quality monitoring. Operating out of a primary lab in Rincon and secondary lab at the Ramey School in Aguadilla, the Rincon Chapter has banded together with local groups and organizations to restart their water testing program. All Blue Water Task Force results are posted to the Blue Water Task Force website, posted to community boards, broadcasted on radio stations, and shared on Facebook. Blue Water Task Force results are compared to water quality criteria established by the EPA to protect public health in recreational waters. Test results are expressed as the Most Probable Number (MPN) of enterococcus cfu (colony forming units) per 100 mL seawater by using the IDEXX Quanti-Tray/2000 MPN Table. When a site is marked Green, it indicates low bacteria (between 0 and 104 MPN/100 mL). When marked Red, results showed high bacteria (above 104 MPN/100 mL). All data can be viewed at go.surfrider.org/BWTF. Any additional questions about Rincon’s Blue Water Task Force program or our results can also be addressed to Steve Tamar, stevetamar@gmail.com.