The event achieved the participation of over 1,000 volunteers island-wide.
San Juan, Puerto Rico – Over 1,000 volunteers participated this morning in the tenth annual Puerto Rico Water Quality Monitoring Day across the island, with the goal of raising awareness about the importance of water quality in Puerto Rico and promoting citizen participation. This was announced by Brenda Torres, executive director of the San Juan Bay Estuary (PEBSJ), who was accompanied at a press conference by Tania Vázquez Rivera, secretary of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA); Carmen Guerrero Pérez, director of Caribbean Environmental Protection for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and Edgardo Bermúdez, deputy executive director, Metro Region, Production and Treatment Area of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA).
“Today has been a day filled with hope, as Puerto Ricans accepted the challenge of safeguarding the health of the waterways in Puerto Rico. By placing the evaluation of streams, canals, lagoons, and beaches throughout Puerto Rico in the hands of our citizens, we are developing the capacity required for the revitalization of Puerto Rico from the community level. The participation of over 1,000 people today reflects the strong awareness that exists in Puerto Rico regarding the importance of conserving our natural resources,” reported the Executive Director.
“For us, this activity represents an opportunity, as it contributes to obtaining data on the waters of Puerto Rico. In turn, it promotes the conservation of this vital resource among the public. As in previous years, we are working together with the EPA and the San Juan Bay Estuary to train volunteers who will take samples to identify bacteria and determine water quality. Knowing which areas are contaminated with pathogens will help local and federal environmental agencies direct and focus our environmental compliance and ecological restoration efforts, thanks to the support of the community,” stated the Secretary of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, Tania Vázquez Rivera.
The event, led by the San Juan Bay Estuary, established 200 monitoring stations across the island. A boat tour was conducted in San José Lagoon and Torrecillas to collect water samples with invited officials. Volunteers, along with the Estuary's team of experts, carried out tests in bodies of water throughout the island.
“After Hurricane Maria, we increased the number of sampling stations and began monitoring water quality weekly. This was part of our strategic plan, which included environmental assessment and alerting the public about the condition of water bodies in the estuary system. In this way, we not only obtained information about the deterioration or improvement of the water, but we also prevented adverse impacts on public health,” explained Brenda Torres.
Furthermore, as part of these efforts and with the support of the AAA, wastewater discharges in the Estuary watershed area will be corrected, resulting in a significant improvement in water quality. To strengthen and sustain these efforts, the Estuary created the Community Water Quality Monitoring Network for twelve critical areas that are part of this important hydrological system in the Metropolitan Region.
To learn more about the Estuary and join as a volunteer, you can find us on social media: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram under: Estuario San Juan. You can also access our website at www.estuario.org.
