I read rjonsun's post and since I started this thread and have been away for about 24 hours I would like to say any of us can speculate what the coloration in the water is caused by tannic or sewage or a combination of both.
The only determining factor since there is a sewage facility up river, would be when these events occur if someone tested the water leaving the river and at the effected beach areas and posted the lab results for the public. It is not uncommon for beaches in the US or elsewhere to be closed for swimming if conditions of any kind pose a hygienic or safety danger to the public.
Is anyone doing this?? Do they come from Mobay and do testing and post a public notice?
"rjunson wrote: Finally, what does this all mean to the Negril River, the ocean, the reef and the swimmers? Good question. The workers at the plant had no knowledge of any effluent parameters or lab results. They said that someone came weekly from Montego Bay to collect samples. I noticed that there was no chlorine or disinfection at the point where the water enters the river. The pan system is supposed to disinfect, but I'm not sure to what extent. A fecal coliform would have to be taken to find out how well it is working. For instance, Ocean City, New Jersey has a maximum fecal coliform of 200. If a 200 count is found on any of the beaches they are sut down. At the plant I work at our maximum is also 200, however our twice a week samples average less than 5. I would have to do more research, but I don't think that the pans do much to lower phosphate (from soaps), ammonia or nitrates (from urine). In fact a byproduct of pans are the massive amounts of algae that they produce. If someone will do the research and find test results for: fecal coliform, pH, turbidity, Dissovled oxygen, Phosphates, Nitrates, Nitrites, and BOD, I will compare them to US standards to find out how well they are doing.
Regards,
Bob"
