The Center for Watershed Protection spent a week
(September 20 – September 24) in Guánica and La Parguera doing a water quality assessment of outfalls, small catchments and nearshore coastal areas looking for hotspots for nutrients and bacteria and other indicators of sewage, septage and other pollution sources. Parameters surveyed included total nitrogen
(TN), total phosphorus (TP), Eschericia Coli,
Enterococci (Saltwater), fluorescence, ammonia, fluoride, chlorophyll A (saltwater), and potassium.
Several hotspots were identified pending further data analysis from the laboratory. These include an area with high bacteria and ammonia levels in Yauco associated with a cattle farm and suburban area, a pump station with a slow leak with high bacteria levels and several sites around Guánica Bay with high ammonia and bacteria levels that warrant further investigation and action. Several locations in La Parguera had high levels of ammonia and sewage contamination was suspected. PRASA promptly repaired a clogged pump station discharging sewage into a tributary to the Rio Loco.
This work was based on the watershed plan. Additional targeted monitoring and
assessment to determine further identify sources and interventions is planned. Also planned is a similar sampling event during the dry season in the early spring (contact: Paul Sturm, pes@cwp.rg).
