Guam – The Guam EPA has released its weekly Beach Report showing 1 beach closed and advisories on 13 others.
CLOSED: 1
West Hagåtña Bay remains closed, as it has been for years, because of the intended or continued use of the old fractured outfall at the Hagåtña Sewage Treatment Plant as emergency and/or bypass overflow. The area closed includes Hagåtña Boat Basin & Channel and the West Hagåtña Beach Park.
ADVISORIES: 13
The results of samples taken by the Guam Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday, April 7, identified that the following recreational waters were polluted above the accepted bacteriological standards:
DEDEDO
Tanguisson Beach
TAMUNING
East Hagåtña Bay – Alupang Towers Beach
ASAN
Asan Bay Beach
PITI
Piti Bay, Santos Memorial Park, Port Authority Beach
AGAT
Togcha Beach – Agat Park Beach, Togcha Beach – near Southern Christian Academy, Bangi
Beach, Nimitz Beach
MERIZO
Merizo Pier at Mamaon Channel
INARAJAN
Inarajan Bay
TALOFOFO
Talofofo Bay
(Place names as spelled in United States Geological Survey [USGS] maps.)
No harvesting or consumption of seaweed, fish or marine organisms is allowed at Tanguisson Beach.
Swimming, fishing or playing in unsafe waters may result in minor illnesses such as sore throats or diarrhea. It might also result in more serious illnesses such as meningitis, encephalitis, or severe gastroenteritis. Children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems have a greater chance
of getting sick when they come in contact with contaminated water.
The Recreational Waters Pollution Report is compiled by Guam EPA’s Environmental Monitoring and Analytical Services Division. Since 1974, Guam EPA has performed this community service weekly. The Environmental Monitoring and Analytical Services Division takes water samples of 42 recreational beaches every Thursday* and analyzes the samples for concentrations of the enterococcus bacteria indicator.
Advisories are based on an instantaneous standard of not greater than 104 enterococci/100 ml and a geometric mean standard of not greater than 35 enterococci/100 ml.
*Adjustments are made during official holidays.
Questions about the Recreational Waters Pollution Report should be directed to the Guam EPA Monitoring Section at 475-1656/8.
For more information, please also visit http://www.guamepa.net, http://www.epa.gov/ostwater/beaches/local/sum2.html.
