USVI-On-Line

Reposting this as its own topic:

"DPNR advises the public to refrain from using the waters throughout the Territory until these effects subside. DPNR is also advising parents to instruct their children to keep away from storm-water-impacted beaches as well as areas with manholes and storm-water flooding. There may be an elevated health risk to anyone swimming in storm-water-impacted areas as a result of increased concentrations of bacteria."

http://dpnr.gov.vi/notices/Mayl_8_2009_ ... visory.htm

Should we be concerned? Should we keep three-year-olds out of the water because of this? Has this happened before?

I emailed them to suggest testing Cinnamon Bay. Last Tuesday, I watched water bubbling out of a sewer on the dirt road, at the beach, and streaming into the tree area there. It wasn't just water, it smelled of sewage. I notified the front desk but never saw anyone do anything about it.

Both email contacts in their "contact" section are wrong. Do you think I should bother trying to contact them?

Looks like the nearest regular testing station for Cinnamon is Francis Bay. (The blue beaches are the testing beaches). Looks like they normally test every week or two, on Fridays:

http://dpnr.gov.vi/dep/notices.htm

If you look at the one from April 24th, they're only green-lighting the beaches that they normally test.

One would hope that a "don't let your kids in the water" warning would be followed up by some immediate testing.

you may have already checked...looks like most monitored beaches are good to go...

http://dpnr.gov.vi/notices/Mayl_15_2009 ... visory.htm

Swimming the last few days I have noticed a fishy smell out on the water, it is also cloudy. I would definitely use alcohol water clearing drops in your ears to prevent infection especially to your little one. ask his pediatrician what they suggest. nothing is worse then an ear infection in a child on vacation or on a flight home!