October 29, 2021— The Illegal Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE) Task Force, which monitors the San Juan Bay Estuary watershed, inspected areas of downtown Río Piedras today. They identified potential sources of untreated sewage discharges into Isla del Diablo and the Juan Méndez Creek. An interesting finding is the apparent existence of an underground system of channeled streams where these sewage discharges are flowing. The inspected water management systems were constructed before 1972, when the federal Clean Water Act was enacted.
“It is a complex scenario where sanitary, rainwater, drinking water and natural water are connected in the same underground system, which is why it warrants further investigation for its eventual correction” —Jorge Bauzá, Scientific Director of the Estuary
We thank our collaborators present: the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, the Department of Transportation and Public Works, the Municipality of San Juan, the University of Puerto Rico , the Environmental Protection Agency , and our volunteers for their continued work for the health of our water and environmental justice in our communities. Onward!
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Sign up as a volunteer at: https://estuario.org/voluntarios/.
