INTRODUCTION TO CNMI'S BEACH MONITORING
PROGRAM
This site has been created by the CNMI Division of
Environmental Quality to help the public understand
the status and issues that are affecting the water
quality of our beaches. This page will be changing
and updated on a regular basis so we hope that you
keep visiting us for new information.
Click
here for weekly results of CNMI's beach water quality
monitoring for bacteria violations for Saipan, Managaha,
Tinian, and Rota Island
WHAT ARE THE
CAUSES OF BEACH CLOSURES AND WATER POLLUTION?
This picture represents a sewer overflow. The discharge
water is from one of Saipan's sewer lines during a
pump station failure. These waters have high levels
of harmful bacteria that may lead to the "red
flag" closure of some of our beaches. Additionally,
these waters contain high levels of nutrients that
negatively affect our lagoon and coral reefs.
This picture represents "brown"
runoff that many of us have seen during large rainstorms.
The brown color is from rainwater that is carrying
sediments from exposed upland areas. Sediments are
harmful to our beach waters because they can have
high levels of nutrients and bacteria attached to
the particles, and can also bury marine life.
This picture represents
a "soup" of urban runoff from Garapan. Often
times if you look in the drainages during a rain storm
you can see trash and debris floating out to our ocean.
What you can't see is the contents of the water. As
the rainwater passes over unsanitary piles of trash
it can pick up and carry nutrients and bacteria associated
with the trash.
This picture represents a pile of exposed trash which
provides food and habitat for the rat you can see
within. Unmanaged trash bins all over CNMI result
in food and refuge for feral rats, cats, and dogs.
These animals often carry diseases and bacteria that
is harmful to us. When it rains the rain water washes
over their waste and drains into our nearshore beach,
thus polluting our waters.
This picture represents the
discharge from a reverse osmosis water purification
treatment system. Although the water looks clear there
can often be high levels of nutrients in these discharge
waters. These nutrients do not pose a threat to our
health, however they harm our marine environment by
supporting unwanted and unsightly macroalgae growth
on our sandy beaches.
This picture represents a household
septic system that many of CNMI's residents use to
dispose of their sewage. In this case the system is
leaking or overflowing. Human waste contains bacteria
that is harmful to us if it is not treated properly.
Many septic systems are built on limestone rock which
is very porous and allows the waste to enter into
our groundwaters. These groundwaters are invisible
to us because they are below the ground, however eventually
they enter into our beach waters.
WHAT
CAN YOU DO TO HELP CLEAN OUR WATERS AND BEACHES?
It is DEQ's mission
to help keep CNMI's beaches clean but we need assisstance
and support from the public. Listed below are some
things that you can do to help us all enjoy clean
beach waters.
Volunteer your time to beautify CNMI.
- If you have or know of uncovered
trash piles please take responsibility and clean
the area so we don't provide food and shelter for
the rats, cats, and dogs.
- If you ever have or know
of people who dump their trash illegally please
stop or make an anonymous call to the DEQ litter
control program (664-8500).
- When you picnic at the beach
bring extra trash bags and spend 15 minutes cleaning
up the beach that you like to enjoy.
When you see large
government infrastructure projects ongoing, such as
road development, take the time to understand how
potential sources of pollution will be addressed.
Support projects that address "clean" development.
Call DEQ if you have questions regarding ongoing development
projects (664-8500).
These two pictures
show ongoing projects that are correctly addressing
DEQ's water quality concerns. The top photo shows
a drainage pipe being installed to deliver stormwater
away from urban areas so pollutants are not carried
with the stormwater. The bottom photo shows
the correct installation of a ponding basin below
a future parking lot.
If you see suspect
discharge pipes or waters please inform DEQ to inspect
the situation.
TOGETHER WE CAN
HELP IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT AND OUR LIVELIHOOD!
