Water discolored

[lee]

I would like to pipe in here, I have been coming to Negril since 1989. In 2007 I began coming about 3-4 times a year. I never saw this brown water at any time until 2 -3 years ago when it happened 2 or 3 times each week I was there every visit. My observation therefore is it would seem brown water floating into the beach area has nothing to do with heavy rain.

Thanks Rob, for links to the different departments in Jamaica for handling water resources. I did mean to circle back on this much sooner when it was actually happening but life got busy and before responding I wanted to thoroughly read the links and embedded links you provided.

In the first link (NWC) I can see a brief mission and that the closest office to Negril is in Sav with the western division office in Mobay. I can also see what is stated they test for but with no mention of how often, nor any public notices of test results from such testing.

In the second link (WRA) a brief mission statement in the water quality management section there is an embedded link for Groundwater Pollution Risk Mapping
http://www.wra.gov.jm/dynaweb.dti?dy...apage=riskmaps
Currently though the map is incomplete (their statement) and appears to be just Kingston area currently.
Again it may be there but I saw no links pertaining to how often, nor any public notices from test results. I do know rjonsun has first hand information on test schedule at the plant and I do not dispute anything he found out first hand.

On the NEPA link I see a nice mission statement, State of the Environment Report (2010). Media releases for 2013 are probably the most interesting pertaining to the subject of this thread with expanded enforcement funded in part by TEF (Tourism Enhancement Fund).
Westmorland had 96 enforcement actions taken which was almost triple of other parishes other than St. Andrew that had 120 but no mention of what the actions were about or who they were served on or what resolution was obtained. Unfortunately there is no mention of exactly how the TEF funding is being used for water quality testing or results and schedules for testing or where/when they are done. At least I was not able to find them listed and again I do not dispute what rjonsun found out about testing at one specific site the treatment plant.

Last link was from 2009 for proposed standards to be followed.

The only reason I ever brought this up was for the same assumed reason of the taxi threads, concern for health and safety of tourist.

Without documented test results and public notices I have to say when the river overspills and the water looks tannic (but could easily contain fecal or other unsafe matter because of many reasons including a sewage treatment plant upstream) I would personally stay out of the water if nothing more than erring on the side of caution.
Also testing at the plant is fine but testing where the river discharges into the sea would be of more value in determining any possible unsafe contamination that might pose a health risk to swimmers. Seems like the TEF money could be well spent doing so, if the TEF mission is to promote and protect tourist and at the same time protecting the Jamaican families that live there.

Of course this can happen anywhere not just Jamaica and Negril specifically. I read in the news that because of the heavy rain this weekend and the expected runoff they are warning people in certain areas of California to stay out of the ocean because of possible contamination. The difference is the officials there are publicly warning caution.
I don’t live in Negril and you and other members of this board do. If testing at the river discharge into the sea and public notices are being done then I stand corrected.

[STRIPER]

Flip you are killing me!its a good thing to laugh out loud

[frankk]

Thank you, Rob. I am glad to see they do this right in Jamaica.

[Marko]

nuthin new...water run off the morass...same thingy as mi saw back in the 80's....
wi have had some seagrass in da wata on da Cliffs of late......nuthin new there as well....
when wi get some good showers.....this all can be expected......
swimming as of yesterday was excellent here on da Cliffs and da Beach...

Cool Runnings, Marko

[Rob]

The press release from 2012 by the NWC that Accompong posted does come down hard on NEPA for having no scientific basis for their 2012 claims, and that they were ignoring other and obvious causes such as the mouth of the river being virtually blocked:

"The National Water Commission also wishes to point out that the Negril Wastewater Treatment Ponds were recently rehabilitated and are now, based both on the empirical scientific data and easily observable aesthetic presentations, operating at a much improved level. Our preliminary analysis of the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) from discharged effluent from the ponds indicates that the ponds are not contributing negatively to the health of the river.

In fact, while NEPA has provided no scientific basis for its allegation, the ponds are teeming with a large, healthy fish population, a normal biological indicator of the health of a pond. NWC's on-going monitoring over the past month also shows no evidence of untreated sewage being discharged into the South Negril River from the wastewater ponds.

Furthermore, it would appear from the statement issued by NEPA that no other possible cause of pollution has been or is being considered even in the face of clear evidence that many other activities in the area impact the river and that the virtual blockage of the mouth of the river could also contribute to poor water quality."


But to be fair to NEPA, the organization did not have adequate resources back in 2012 and has received additional funding in November of last year for more monitor and testing:

"Peter Knight, Chief Executive Officer at NEPA, said that the Agency welcomes the injection of funding from TEF to address the planning and environmental problems in the resort town.

The funds, he noted, will allow the Agency to deploy three additional enforcement officers who will: monitor facilities with environmental permits and licenses issued by the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) and enforce regulations under the Wild Life Protection Act.

“The enforcement officers will also enforce the Negril Marine Park Regulations; investigate planning breaches; monitor compliance with planning approvals and monitor environmental incidents which may occur within the Negril Environmental Protection Area,” he said."

http://www.nepa.gov.jm/newscenter/Pr..._in_Negril.asp


So the facts point out that there is more monitoring going on now than ever before and that if there was a breach, the many and varied Jamaican news organizations would be sure to hear and report about it. That is what they do, report the news, actual news. And since government organizations are required to make reports, reporters do have access to this information.

As I have said before, it is impossible to hide real news and even fake news in this day with speed at which information travels because of the internet. But facts are still facts, and if there was a real problem, there would be no way to hide it.

But when the only "proof" of a current event is a 2 year old video and the confusion of taking two separate events and drawing a false conclusion from 2 years ago, it becomes quite obvious that there is no real problem. Why is there no credible news service anywhere reporting on this if it was true? But I guess conspiracy theorists have the answer to that one... (grin)

What happened was just a common, extremely natural occurrence of the rain water coming down the hills and running into a river that flows into the sea as it has done for millennia and will continue to do in the future. It is how how nature works...

[TizzyATX]

Not me, no way, water is TOO clear!!

[Flipadelphia26]

Not me, no way, water is TOO clear!!

[iteachdetroit]

I personaly tested that water. It was great, it looked mineral rich and it smelled just fine. The brownish water was nice to swim in. It is a lot nicer than home with all that snow piling up in my driveway.

[captaind]

I personaly tested that water. It was great, it looked mineral rich and it smelled just fine. The brownish water was nice to swim in. It is a lot nicer than home with all that snow piling up in my driveway.

One effect of the fresh water intrusion is that the sea become brackish which also darkens the water. But in no way does that make it toxic

[Nurse Marcia]

Ha ha Tizzy and dana1 -- The day I heard there was a toilet, I couldn't even find it. Had a nice little tour of the back area though.