Red flag up at two Rota sites

Posted on Mar 27 2008

The Division of Environmental Quality has raised the red flag at the Coral Garden and West Harbor Marina on Rota and warns the public not to fish or swim within 300 feet of these locations for the next 48 hours or until notified.

The DEQ said that samples collected from the two sites showed concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria (enterococci) that exceed the CNMI Marine Water Quality Standards.

These bacteria can indicate the presence of human and animal waste in the water. However, studies have shown that storm water runoff in tropical environments may also contain these bacteria from the natural environment, which may not be directly associated with public health concerns.

DEQ analyzed water samples collected from 12 locations on Rota this week.

DEQ welcomes all inquiries as to the quality of the beach water. The public is encouraged to contact DEQ at 664-8500 with any questions concerning this matter. [B][I](DEQ)[/I][/B]

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