The VI GOVT thinks we are stupid

I was wondering what rain they were referring to. Isn't this the second holiday weekend where they recommended staying away?

Yes. Do your damn jobs. What a boost for tourism eh?

They're probably non essential workers.
Those beach advisories are worthless since they're always posted the week after they test the waters.

The government doesn't test the water. If this is a concern you can call Ocean Systems Laboratory on STT at 340-714-1911 and ask them.

They aren't contracted by DPNR? DPNR are the ones warning us without showing us data. I can deal with a lot of nonsense. Can't be treated like I'm stupid. Just admit you didn't test waters this week.

I'm not sure why you're so concerned as there was no major rainfall. Surf advisories have been posted and the North side water is pretty rough right now. In any event there could be any number of reasons why the results weren't posted. As Alana said, they're not posted until several days after testing and have usually been retested and cleared by then anyway. These are advisories, not warnings.

I'm concerned because they are basically lying to people. I've been in ocean all week.

I regard with a heavy dose of skepticism the tabloid nature of the vi consortium's "news".

I regard with a heavy dose of skepticism the tabloid nature of the vi consortium's "news".

That I agree with.

Well, colour me wrong!
Here's a post from DPNR for Nov. 27 - Dec. 4 stating that ALL beach's are unsafe for swimming in the VI.

http://stthomassource.com/content/community/environment/2015/11/27/beach-advisory-november-27-dec-4

BY SOURCE STAFF — NOVEMBER 27, 2015
"The Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) has announced that due to heavy rains this week, the Division of Environmental Protection (DEP) anticipates that negative environmental impacts will be caused by storm water runoff.
DPNR advises the public to refrain from using the coastal waters throughout the territory until further notification. It 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.

All persons should also be aware that storm water runoff may contain contaminants or pollutants harmful to human health; therefore, all persons should avoid areas of storm water runoff (i.e. guts, puddles and drainage basins). DPNR will continue to monitor the impacted areas and waters.

For additional information regarding water quality, call the Division of Environmental Protection at 773-1082 on St. Croix or 774-3320 on St. Thomas."

Hell of a thing, to live on an island surround by beautiful beaches and ocean and have them test regularly for contaminants while nothing is being done about the real problems that create the situations. This is the first time I've ever seen them post an advisory for a week coming.
Normally, they're a week behind.

I still have to question what "heavy rains". Where I live there's way more rain than the norm but in the last week there's been a preponderance of overcast days but still plenty of sun and only a few showers - nothing to write home about at al. Nor has anyone I've spoken to living elsewhere on STT mentioned any deluge. It's gloomy and showery here this morning but did I do a Rip Van Winkle last week?

Also, people need to understand that the EPA markers via which ocean water throughout the US is regularly tested by certified water testing labs is VERY high and even a miniscule rise over the mandated norm requires a public advisory be made. Only in the very worst case scenario are beaches closed because of contamination. I've researched this countless times and the chances of becoming ill through swimming in waters for which advisories have been issued are akin to the chances of being hit by lightning.

The Era of Fear is well entrenched.

I'm concerned because they are basically lying to people. I've been in ocean all week.

Me too.

I've seen how they take samples and it not a representative sample.

CD

Still no data and "we anticipate" bs line.

I still have to question what "heavy rains". Where I live there's way more rain than the norm but in the last week there's been a preponderance of overcast days but still plenty of sun and only a few showers - nothing to write home about at al. Nor has anyone I've spoken to living elsewhere on STT mentioned any deluge. It's gloomy and showery here this morning but did I do a Rip Van Winkle last week?

Same here on St. John. We did get a good downpour on Saturday night, and some rain yesterday, but heavy rains all week??? Nope. I had to water my beans because we didn't get enough rain.

Something to remember is that the majority of the VI uses septic tanks with leach fields. Between that, animal waste, pesticides uses, and other environmentally harmful products and toxins, they all end up in our bays.

This is in addition to wastewater from many sources being dumped in our bays and beaches which helps to kill off our corals.

There's a link between many popular beaches being so often listed on the beach advisories and the wastewater discharge practices often employed by hotels and businesses at those locations.

We're effectively killing off our corals with these practices and will continue to do so.

A Florida long-term study cited for EPA, which was completed in 2013, showed definitively the impacts of sewage nutrients, and in particular, phosphorus and nitrogen. Here's a study link.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.12450/abstract

Something to remember is that the majority of the VI uses septic tanks with leach fields. Between that, animal waste, pesticides uses, and other environmentally harmful products and toxins, they all end up in our bays.

Correctly operating and maintained septic tanks and leach fields should not be polluting the bays. And if they aren't operating properly there is potential for much more severe health issues.

Something to remember is that the majority of the VI uses septic tanks with leach fields. Between that, animal waste, pesticides uses, and other environmentally harmful products and toxins, they all end up in our bays.

Correctly operating and maintained septic tanks and leach fields should not be polluting the bays. And if they aren't operating properly there is potential for much more severe health issues.

No one farms here either (not really) so pesticide's are a very minor concern; & animal waste... what? I guess...

I don't buy into anthropomorphic climate change though.. so I guess if you're a global warming believer then all these things are scary.

What is scary to me is the idea of life without pesticides, fertilizers and septic systems. Ah yes, a return to Middle Ages. Pestilence and blight for all.

Something to remember is that the majority of the VI uses septic tanks with leach fields. Between that, animal waste, pesticides uses, and other environmentally harmful products and toxins, they all end up in our bays.

Correctly operating and maintained septic tanks and leach fields should not be polluting the bays. And if they aren't operating properly there is potential for much more severe health issues.

No one farms here either (not really) so pesticide's are a very minor concern; & animal waste... what? I guess...

I don't buy into anthropomorphic climate change though.. so I guess if you're a global warming believer then all these things are scary.

A few decades ago, they did a study in DC and northern VA to determine the sources of pollution in the Potomac River. One of the major offenders was animal feces, and that wasn't primarily from farm run-off, but from pets, and local wild fauna. After a long campaign to encourage people to pick up after their pets, the animal waste numbers went down. So, yeah, animal waste figures in. Especially here, where so many people don't see the need to pick up or contain poop.

As for climate change, I don't see how your reluctance to accept scientific consensus has anything to do with local toxic runoff.

As for climate change, I don't see how your reluctance to accept scientific consensus has anything to do with local toxic runoff.

just an FYI... there is no such thing as scientific consensus, science either shows a thing to be true or keeps trying.

Also: since neither appear to be true, I'd say they are related (toxic run off is not present, climate change is not caused by humans)

I could see animal waste being an issue, however; I live in a main drainage area for the west end (when heavy rains come, I get water features that last for up to a day or two as the water drains off ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li2wJPFTYoY this is from a 2014 rain fall)) and I've never been left with a yard full of animal waste (trash sometimes...)nor do I think comparing the ocean to a river is very applicable.

As for climate change, I don't see how your reluctance to accept scientific consensus has anything to do with local toxic runoff.

just an FYI... there is no such thing as scientific consensus, science either shows a thing to be true or keeps trying.

Also: since neither appear to be true, I'd say they are related (toxic run off is not present, climate change is not caused by humans)

I could see animal waste being an issue, however; I live in a main drainage area for the west end (when heavy rains come, I get water features that last for up to a day or two as the water drains off ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li2wJPFTYoY this is from a 2014 rain fall)) and I've never been left with a yard full of animal waste (trash sometimes...)nor do I think comparing the ocean to a river is very applicable.

"Scientific consensus" is a defined term. While you may disagree with the concept, saying there's no such thing doesn't make it true. it's the main basis on which we make intelligent and logical decisions based on phenomena we cannot absolutely prove at a fixed point in time. Yes, it does change, when new data emerges that proves a consensus to be false. So far, there is no new data that has changed that has affected the consensus, and more new data that concurs.

Your second sentence makes no sense. Toxic run-off is clearly present, based on water samples.

Animal waste disintegrates when wet, so breaks down in the elements. Because you do not see whole feces floating in your yard, you think that proves it doesn't get to the ocean? That is ROTF laughable.

The old school "the answer to pollution to is dilution of the solution" is being disproved, as larger and larger bodies of water are affected. Eutrophication has already affected large bodies of water, including the Gulf of Mexico. No, we don't have factory farms and fertilizers to worry about. But to think that what we do have gets washed away into nothingness is foolhardy. The fact that unhealthy levels are found after heavy rains on the shoreline indicates that it's there for a time.

Here's an interesting link.
http://climate.nasa.gov/climate_resources/136/

And another:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/time-to-choose-watch-the-new-film-from-oscar-winner-charles-ferguson_565c5678e4b079b2818acee0

As for climate change, I don't see how your reluctance to accept scientific consensus has anything to do with local toxic runoff.

just an FYI... there is no such thing as scientific consensus, science either shows a thing to be true or keeps trying.

Also: since neither appear to be true, I'd say they are related (toxic run off is not present, climate change is not caused by humans)

I could see animal waste being an issue, however; I live in a main drainage area for the west end (when heavy rains come, I get water features that last for up to a day or two as the water drains off ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li2wJPFTYoY this is from a 2014 rain fall)) and I've never been left with a yard full of animal waste (trash sometimes...)nor do I think comparing the ocean to a river is very applicable.

"Scientific consensus" is a defined term. While you may disagree with the concept, saying there's no such thing doesn't make it true. it's the main basis on which we make intelligent and logical decisions based on phenomena we cannot absolutely prove at a fixed point in time. Yes, it does change, when new data emerges that proves a consensus to be false. So far, there is no new data that has changed that has affected the consensus, and more new data that concurs.

Your second sentence makes no sense. Toxic run-off is clearly present, based on water samples.

Animal waste disintegrates when wet, so breaks down in the elements. Because you do not see whole feces floating in your yard, you think that proves it doesn't get to the ocean? That is ROTF laughable.

The old school "the answer to pollution to is dilution of the solution" is being disproved, as larger and larger bodies of water are affected. Eutrophication has already affected large bodies of water, including the Gulf of Mexico. No, we don't have factory farms and fertilizers to worry about. But to think that what we do have gets washed away into nothingness is foolhardy. The fact that unhealthy levels are found after heavy rains on the shoreline indicates that it's there for a time.

(tu)

"Middle Ages" is actually the first thing that comes to mind when the subject of failing septic systems is mentioned. That can be some pretty serious stuff.