Red flag raised about water quality at Dunn's River attraction, White River

 

A startling report by the St. Ann Public Health Department in relation to the Dunn's River attraction has triggered urgent action from the authorities. 

 

Chief Public Health Inspector Leroy Scott told the monthly meeting of the St. Ann Municipal Corporation on Thursday that the Dunn's River Beach, Dunn's River and White River in the parish have not met recreational water standards in relation to total and faecal coliform counts. 

 

Speaking with Radio Jamaica News after the meeting, Mr. Scott explained that coliform is a microorganism that indicates contamination.

 

"It indicates that there is the presence of dead and decaying plant or animal matter, so it could either be one or the other or it could be both. And so once the indicator organism is present, the samples are also tested for the presence of faecal coliform. That is to confirm that the coliform is from faecal matter. And for the supplies indicated, they were not in compliance for both faecal and total coliform," he noted.

 

Mr. Scott said the department routinely monitors recreational water bodies, including beaches and rivers, as well as those that are sources of drinking water. He pointed out that samples are collected for testing at the mouth of the river just before it empties into the sea. Therefore, the department is unable to speak to the quality of the water at all stages of the Dunn's and White rivers. 

 

He said further analysis is required to determine what has caused all three sources to fail the recreational water standards, but the issues have implications for public health, though not as serious as would have been the case for drinking water.

 

"But as recreational water, the quality is important to the health and safety of the users. And so it has public implications. And that is why we are reporting and suggesting that the matter be looked at on a wider scale to arrive at a possible resolution of the issues."

 

He told Thursday's meeting of the St. Ann Municipal Corporation that the health department has no evidence of people collecting water from Dunn's River for drinking. 

 

In the meantime, Chairman of the St. Ann Municipal Corporation and Mayor of St. Ann's Bay, Michael Belnavis, admitted that the report took the council members by surprise. Speaking with Radio Jamaica News, the mayor said persistent rains may have resulted in contaminants being washed down into the rivers.

 

"You must appreciate the fact that if there's rain, there's usually runoff from chicken coops and pig pens. So we have to ensure that that is controlled. And of course, just a normal runoff from mud and so on through the rivers into the sea. And I believe that is the reason why we have a higher than normal level. Once it settles down, then usually everything is back to normal. And we've been having a lot of rain recently.

 

"So we're getting the meetings together with the UDC, with the health department and municipal corporation to ensure that we do whatever is necessary to alleviate this type of runoff and deal with the situation. Because you know, it's a tourism area and of course our locals bathe in this area. People come from all over Jamaica and bathe in this area, so it's something that we have to look into expeditiously," he acknowledged. 

 

In a statement Friday afternoon, the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), which manages the Dunn's River Falls and Park attraction, said the issues raised by the St. Ann Public Health Department have been under continuous evaluation. 

 

The UDC said the issue is long-standing and complex. However, extensive testing, including DNA analyses, conducted, ruled out human waste as a source of contamination. Instead, it said findings suggest the presence of organic material from plant decomposition, animal matter and possible upstream agricultural runoffs. 

 

The UDC has engaged the National Environment and Planning Agency to undertake further assessments. It said at this time there is no evidence of risk to public health or to visitors at Dunn's River Falls and Park.