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Water Quality Monitoring on Sint Maarten / Saint Martin

As part of the Blue Flag for beaches international eco-label program, EPIC partnered with the American University of the Caribbean to conduct twice-monthly coastal water sampling and analysis for coliform bacteria, which are a threat to human health and the environment at high levels. From 2010-2017, when operations ceased due to Hurricane Irma, the results were publicly displayed at beaches where samples were taken.

Water quality tests conducted by EPIC student researchers in 2009 demonstrated very high levels of total coliform contamination in the ghauts (pronounced guts), or canals, which feed into the Simpson Bay Lagoon, one of the largest inland lagoons in the Caribbean. In some cases, the results could not be read even after dilution due to the high concentration of bacteria.

In 2019, as part of the economic valuation of Simpson Bay Lagoon, a student researcher examined the presence or absence of total coliform bacteria and nitrogen levels at 13 sites. All sites tested positive for total coliform bacteria and several were high for nitrogen.

Water quality results are shared with policymakers as part of advocacy efforts by EPIC to improve wastewater management.

This project is part of

EPIC Sint Maarten Conservation

Return to this Flagship Program

This project is located in Sint Maarten

Sint Maarten is one of four countries that are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. What other two Caribbean islands are in this group?

Back to Sint Maarten

This project is located in St. Martin

Sint Maarten/Saint Martin (Dutch/French) is one of only two Caribbean islands shared by two sovereign states. What is the other one?

Back to St. Martin

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