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Beach water quality monitoring to resume
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Posted on Apr 13 2020
The Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality usually analyzes water samples collected from 85 beaches and storm drainages on Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and Managaha islands as part of a regularly scheduled sampling program. These samples are analyzed to determine if they contain excessive concentration of fecal indicator bacteria and meet CNMI Water Quality Standards.
However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in closure of public beaches and suspension of interisland flights, regular water quality sampling of these sites was temporarily suspended on March 30.
Due to the subsequent reopening of beaches for individual use for purposes of exercise and wellness, both physical and mental, and shoreline subsistence fishing such as talåya and rod and reel, as well as the limited availability of interisland cargo flights, BECQ will resume water sampling at locations on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota the week of April 13.
The reports will be available at
at www.deq.gov.mp/sec.asp?secID=52. Interested individuals and organizations can also receive email notifications of the weekly marine water quality reports. To do so, please send an email
to waterqualityreport@becq.gov.mp.
BECQ welcomes all inquiries as to the quality of the beach water. The public is encouraged to contact Larry Maurin at 286-1054 with any questions concerning this matter. (PR)
