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.


Quote Originally Posted by kylake View Post
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.