FOR THE NATION'S ESTUARIES
PROCEEDINGS
of the
VIRGIN ISLANDS PUBLIC MEETINGS
April 17, 1968
St. Dunstan's School Auditorium
Christiansted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands
April 19, 1968
Senate Building
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ADMINISTRATION U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
SOUTHEAST REGION ATLANTA, GEORGIA
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PROCEEDINGS
of the
VIRGIN ISLANDS PUBLIC MEETINGS
NATIONAL ESTUARINE POLLUTION STUDY
FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ADMINISTRATION
April 17, 1968
St. Dunstan's School Auditorium
Christiansted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands
April 19, 1968
Senate Building
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
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PAGE
1
Discussion .
Mr. Euan McFarlane, Fountain Valley Corporation
Discussion
Mr. Russell Sunderlin, Harvey Alumina
Discussion
Mr. Edgar Mullgrau, Virgin Islands Association of Architects,
Engineers and Land Surveyors
Discussion
Mr. W. Lee Morris, St. Croix Diving Association and
Fairleigh-Dickinson University
Discussion
Mr. Richard Newick, Sea Rovers, Inc
Discussion
Mr. Anthony Ayer, Frederiksted Civic Association
Discussion
Mr. John W. Moore, St. Croix Department of Public Works
Discussion
Adjournment
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WEDNESDAY MORNING SESSION, April 17, 1968
Call to Order and Opening Statement, Mr. Paul Traina
Greetings, Dr. Roy Anduze
Statements:
Dr. Aubrey A. Anduze, Office of the Governor
Mr. Rudolph Shulterbrandt, Department of Agriculture and
Recreation
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont'd)
PAGE
FRIDAY MORNING SESSION, April 19, 1968
Call to Order and Introductory Remarks, Dr. Roy Anduze
Opening Statement, Mr. Paul Traina
Statements:
Mr. Edward J. Moran, (for Mr. W. G. Aranon), W. G. Ammon
Corporation .,. , ,
Discussion ,
Mr. Thomas R. Blake, Virgin Islands Planning Board
Discussion
Mr. John B. Erickson, Residents and Property Owners'
Association of St. John ,
Mrs, Ma'Carry W. Hull, for Mrs. Lucy Smith
Discussion ...
Mr. Henri P. Blanc, Virgin Isle Hilton Hotel, for the
Tourist Industry
Discussion .
Dr. Edward L. Towle, Caribbean Research Institute
Discussion
Mr. John W. Holter ,...
Closing Remarks:
Dr Anduze
Mr. Traina
Adjournment
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PUBLIC MEETING
NATIONAL ESTUARINE POLLUTION STUDY
Federal Water Pollution Control Administration
St. Dunstan's School Auditorium St. Croix,
Christiansted, Orange Grove Virgin Islands
April 17, 1968
The public meeting directed toward obtaining contributions
from Virgin Islands interests regarding the National Eetuarlne
Pollution Study being conducted by the Federal Water Pollution
Control Administration convened in the St. Dunstan's School
Auditorium, Orange Grove, Christiansted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands,
Wednesday morning, April 17, 1968, and was palled to order at
9:25 by Mr. Paul Traina, Director of Technical Programs, Southeast
Water Laboratory, Athens, Georgia.
MR. PAUL TRAINA: Good morning. My name is Paul Traina, and
I am with the Southeast Region of the Federal Water Pollution Con-
trol Administration, Athens, Georgia.
Today I am sitting in for Mr. John R. Thoman, who is the
Regional Director, Southeast Region, for the FWPCA. Mr, Thoman
personally regrets that he is unable to be here todpy. He had
planned to be here, however Senator Muskle is conducting a hearing
on thermal pollution In Miami this week.
I first want to welcome you all to this fourth public meeting
to be held in the states and territories to gather Information for
the National Estuarlne Pollution Study.
The first three meetings, all of which were held in the South-
east Region, have been held in Mississippi, Georgia and Florida.
Next week we will be holding a meeting In Puerto Rico.
Of course, ^his meeting is going to be reconvened in St.
Thomas Friday, April 19th, In the Senate Building. That will
give a chance for the folks over there to express their views
and for us to get their opinions on the subject.
The National Estuarlne Pollution Study was called for In the
Clean Water Restoration Act of 1966. In that Act, Congress dlr
rected the Department of the Interior to make an extensive study
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of pollution problems in estuaries and to report to the Congress
recommendations for a future management program.
This national study is to be completed and a report submitted
to the Congress by November of 1969. As I say, we of the Southeast
Region are the first to conduct public meetings to obtain the views
and opinions of local, public, and private groups and individuals,
and in the case of the Virgin Islands, of federal agencies and
territorial agencies who have an Interest in the Virgin Islands
coastal waters,
Today we hope to hear from as many of these groups and agen-
cies and individuals as possible. Most of you here were invited
by letter to make a statement.
However, any of you who did not get such an invitation and
would like to make a statement, we would be most happy to hear
from you. All we ask is that you check in with Mrs. Brown in
the back, and she will put you on the program.
Today we are pleased to have with us Dr. Roy Anduze, Commission-
er of Health of the Virgin Islands. Dr. Anduze was asked by Governor
Paiewonsky to represent the Islands' interest in this meeting,
To Dr. Anduze's right is Mr. Pedrito Francois, Director, Bureau
of Environmental Sanitation with the Department of Health.
Before we begin, I would like to make one thing very clear.
This is your meeting, not our meeting. We are here to listen and
to learn. What you have to say is important to us, and it will
become part of the report that will t?e sent to the Congress.
It will contribute to the development of national policy for
estuarine management. The meeting record today, I might add, will
be held open for 15 days to give any of you or anyone else « chance
to submit stateaentf that you would want to put into the record.
So we have an opening of 15 days that will allow you to put
anything else you would like to enter into the record.
Mr. Ton Crites, on my left here, will make a verbatim account
of our meeting today, and anyone who would Ilka to make statements,
pleaae give your name and Identification to Mr, Crites.
With that brief Introduction* I would flret like to call on
Dr. Andusa for any comments that he might wish to make.
DR. ROY ANDUZEt I would like to say this, Mr. Trsina, that
Governor Paiewonsky la Intensely lntereeted In this problem of
water pollution, air pollution, and aewage disposal; and during
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the last six months, he has spent considerable time and effort
in trying to implement the workable program of water pollution,
air pollution and sewage disposal.
I think that his ideas on this matter have been amply de-
scribed in the local press and all the news media. I don't think
that "the governor would want me to spend too much time in de-
scribing his plans for the Virgin Islands this morning; so thank
you, Mr. Traina.
MR. TRAINA: Thank you, Doctor.
With that, I would like to call on our first speaker who
has indicated he would like to make a statement. This is Dr.
Aubrey Anduze, who is the administrative assistant for St. Corix,
representing the Office of the Governor. Dr. Ariduze.
DR. AUBREY k. ANDUZE: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Commissioner,
members of the committee, ladies and gentlemen: My name is Aubrey
A. Anduze, and I am the governor's administrative assistant for St.
Croix.
The 50 islands and cays which make up the United States Virgin
Islands have a tidal shore line of 140 miles. This length of shore
line is larger than that of two Atlantic Coast states -- Pennsylvania
and New Hampshire.
Much of the coast line is ringed with barrier reefs which give
way to sheer cliffs or sweeping aandy beach catenarys. Mangrove
trees in many areas mark the quiet waters of large and small lagoons.
Varying depths of water and types of bottom give breathtaking
contrasts in color and form to the Virgin Islands coast line.
The barrier reefs and lagoons serve as spawning grounds and
breeding grounds for marine life. The lagoons serve a dual purpose
as the nesting ground for many different kinds of birds.
The ecology of the coast line is a delicately balanced cycle
which cannot be broken at any point without severely affecting
the interdependency upon which the tenuous cycle is bases.
The growth of the tourist industry can be attributed to many
factors, but prominent among these are the scenic beauty, proximity
and accessibility of the territory's coast line.
The specific tidal coast line -- the ratio of the state or
territory's surface area to the length of its coast line -- is an
index of the ease with which the permanent and transient residents
of that region have access to coast line-centered activities.
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A comparison of the states and territories included in the
National Estuarine Pollution Study shows that the U. S. Virgin
Islands has the lowest specific tidal coast line -- 0.97 miles.
Hawaii follows with six miles. The State of Pennsylvania
has the higest figure -- 500 miles. The growth of tourism in the
Virgin Islands is linked very closely to the type and quality of
its coastal resources.
The demands of a growing population and the need for a diver-
sified economy impose additional uses on the coastal resources of
the territory. Uses which, in many instances, are harmful to the
ecology of the coast line or uses, for that matter, which introduce
large-scale changes in the makeup of the coast line.
The present system of using outfalls for raw sewage must be
phased out and replaced with central sewage treatment systems. In
addition to planning and constructing such sewage treatment systems,
the insular government should initiate research programs into new
sewage-disposal schemes; closed systems using vacuum removal, sy-
stems using solar energy to transform waste matter into ash or other
systems which apply modern technology to the very old problem of
waste removal.
The selection of sites for heavy industry and other catalysts
of economic growth must be carefully weighed against the overall
impact and irreversibility of the change in the ecology and scenic
beauty .'of the coast line.
In the case of decisions already made and executed, it is the
responsibility of the insular government to set up and police rigid
air and water pollution controls.
The enactment of Chapter 7 of Title 12 (Water Pollution Control)
last year is a step in the right direction; but tfye insular govern-,
ment must take the initiative in creating through.research the kind
of industries which are capable of creating jobs for a growing
population without destroying the coastal resources.
In the past, of necessity, the insular government directed
its energies toward attracting industries to this area. This was
necessary and it has succeeded.
Concessions had to be made, as it were, to bait the hook. The
loss of a portion of the territory's coast line to Industrial use
was balanced by a gain in the number of jobs and in the strength of
the economy.
The direction taken from here, however, must be based on the
initiative of the insular government's determination of multiple
uses of the coastal resources weighed in the favor of conservation
of the beauty and accessibility territory's coast line.
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I thank you for the time you have granted me to present these remarks
to you.
MR. TRAINA: We are trying to keep this informal. If there are any
comments or questions from Dr. Anduze's paper, we would be most happy to
hear them. If not, thank you, Dr. Anduze.
The next person we will hear from is Mr. Rudolph Shulterbrandt,
representing the Department of Agriculture and Recreation, St. Croix.
MR. RUDOLPH SHULTERBRANDT: Mr. Chairman, Dr. Anduze, Commissioner
Anduze, ladies and gentlemen: It's a pleasure to be here today to give
a brief statement on the problem of estuarine and coastal pollution.
I am Rudolph Shulterbrandt, the Acting Commissioner of Agriculture
and Recreation for the Virgin Islands. I am sorry I didn't receive your
notice sooner, because we didn't have much time to get too deeply into
this subject.
Any type of water or water problem is of great interest to the
Department of Agriculture and Recreation, because we can surely say that
water and water resources are the limiting factors in any kind of suc-
cessful agricultural production.
So we are always concerned with any subject or any problems dealing
with water. I would just like to make a few brief comments on the fac-
tors that may cause the major pollution problems typical to the Island
of St. Croix.
I think we can say the source of this type pollution would come
from two major areas. One would be from sewage, that is, raw sewage
being dumped in the sea, and next we have some industrial pollution,
which may have been derived from industrial development, such as dredg-
ing and construction operations at Harvey and Hess.
These have created a marine desert along a large part of our south
coast line of St. Croix. And the raw sewage factor -- we have raw sewage
being dumped into the sea. Then we always have aquifer pollution from
septic fields, which is accelerated by: (1) increase in total sewage
which is being put into the ground; (2) increase in number of wells and
quantity of water being removed from the aquifer; (3) decrease in fresh-
water recharge of aquifer, due largely to the increased area being taken
over by brush, housing, and roads.
From the industrial side, we also have residue from desalination
plants, distillery effluence and waste from other industries, such as
the abattoir.
We also have pollution problems which may be derived from the use of
pesticides and insecticides; storm drains; and promiscuous clearing of
potential development sites and road building, leaving large areas bare,
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thereby causing erosion which, in turn, causes a silt problem along the
coast during periods of heavy rains, and also new and expanding industries.
In the Department of Agriculture, we work very closely with the
federal agencies in developing good water conservation practices, and any-
thing we can do to reduce the pollution problems through this agency or
any practices that we may require are gladly welcomed, and we are wooking
very hard to augment these programs.
As I said, through the Soil Conservation Board and the Department,
we hope to make a major contribution to this problem, and this is about
all I can add to this meeting right now. Thank you very much.
MR. TRAINA: I have one question I would like to ask. You mentioned
dredging. Is there much dredging on the Idland, other than what is
required for industrial development, dredging for ports and harbors and
beach erosion?
MR. SHULTERBRANDT: Well, in addition to the point you have mentioned,
every once in a while, someone gets permission from the Department of
Interior to do some dredging of sand.
You know, sand is becoming quite a scarce commodity as they increase
the building development. I think every once in a while, some agency gets
some permission from the Interior to do some dredging.
That is one of the basic factors that causes the increase in dredging.
On the south coast of St. Croix, as I mentioned, there seems to be some
kind of marine desert, some cause of residue from the Harvey development
and the Hess development.
So I think that marine growth on the south coast of St. Croix is
somewhat changing due to these two major factors -- two major industrial
plants have been installed.
MR. TRAINA: Are there any other territorial agencies represented
here? These are the only two I have.
How about any federal agencies? Are there any federal agencies that
would wish to make a statement at this time?
If not, I would like to call on John Shultz of the Oxford Corpora-
tion. Is he here?
("He is not here" was heard from the floor.)
MR. TRAINA: Mr. Shultz had indicated he wanted to make a statement.
The next one on my list is Mr. Euan McFarlane, from the Fountain
Valley Corporation.
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MR. EUAN McFARLANE: Mr. Traina, Dr. Anduze and gentlemen; My name
is Euan McFarlane. The opportunity to participate in this meeting is
much appreciated, and our thanks to Governor Paiewonsky for including our
name as one of the invitees.
The dedication of my principals to the problems of conservation
and beautification is too well known to need more than passing emphasis
and reiteration of their deep concern for the loss or potential loss of
natural assets.
The letter of invitation lists the following headings for considera-
tion in a statement such as this:
a. The role and relationship of federal, state, and local or
regional agencies in the management of estuarine and coastal waters;
b. The value of such waters;
c. Damages envisioned through pollution of these waters;
d. Research needs;
e. Any other items appropriate.
We propose to follow this outline.
a. The role and ralationship of federal, state, and local or
regional agencies in the management of estuaries and coastal waters.
If we consider these agencies in the reverse order and start from
the bottom up, sp to speak, at the local level we have the somewhat
diverse and individual situations existing in each of the three islands:
St. Croix, St, Thomas, and St. John.
It would, therefore, seem desirable that each island have its own
local agency which, because of its special and detailed knowledge of Its
own resources and problems, should be in a position to take an inventory
of Its assets and make recommendations for their use.
These reports would be submitted to the commissioner of health, as
the state-level agency for the Virgin Islands for assembly into an over-
all Virgin Islands plan.
It is recognized that there will be conflicts of Interests In these
local reports, and a spirit of cooperation and understanding of the need
to attain the greatest good for the greatest number is most desirable.
Presumably, the Planning Board would play a vital part In the over-
all coordination and use determination. Once the overall Virgin Islands
plan has been worked out, It is recommended that public hearings be held
so that the plan may be expalined and, if necessary, the reasons given
for decision? which may prove controversial,
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This plan, when complete, should contain long-range budget estimates
for the various projects recommended and, after approval by the appro-
priate governmental instrumentalities, should be forwarded to the federal
agency having jurisdiction for incorporation into its grand master plans,
both physical and financial.
Necessary legislation for the implementation of the program could
then work back down from the federal to the local level.
b. The value of such waters. In an economy largely supported by
tourism and with "crystal-clear waters" being universally advertised as
one of the Virgin Islands' great assets, it is difficult to overemphasize
the value of the surrounding waters, including harbors and areas such as
Salt River.
The role of industry in broadening the economic base is recognized
and appreciated, and it is suggested that modern technology, together
with adequate planning and legislation, may well minimize the pollution
problems attendant upon such industrial development.
c. Damages envisioned through pollution. Bird, animal, marine, and
vegetable life are all casualties of pollution. The loss of swimming
beaches, snorkeling areas, coral reefs, bases for charter boats, all
would seriously affect a tourist-oriented economy.
The loss of fish as part of the Island's basic diet and as a sport-
fishing attraction would have far-reaching economic impact.
d. Research needs. Initial reserach might be conducted in the area
of compiling the inventory of natural assets mentioned under (a) above.
This might be followed by reserach regarding currents and tidal flow which
might caryy pollution along the shores or out to sea.
Specialized research dealing with present or anticipated pollution
from various organic, inorganic and industrial wastes and their impact
upon the present ecology of the Islands might be undertaken at an early
date.
e. Any other items. This statement Is long enough. Comment under
this heading Is omitted.
The job outlined In this statement Is enormous/ but the results of
a job well done will be appreciated and enjoyed not only by ourselves,
but by generations to come. Thank you.
MR. TRAINA: Thank you very much, sir. That was a very fine state-
ment, Any comments?
DR, ANDUZE: I would like to say this: I enjoyed noting
Mr. McFarlane's outline of the proper safeguards and the establishing
of agencies on each island,
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It is true that St. Croix is rapidly becoming industrialized, and
there is a great threat of industrial wastes being dumped into the coastal
waters.
There are elements in each island that are different, and I think to
get the proper representation, we should have representatives from St.
Croix, St. Thomas, and from St. John.
Whoever is head of this department certainly would need to hear from
both groups. But there are many unresolved questions as far as water
pollution is concerned, and the need for good research, sound, meaningful
research, is necessary however, there has been nobody to testify just
how much the animal life of the bay is affected by fecal contamination.
Is the animal life or sea life affected more by chemicals and
industrial waste? I remember at St. Thomas when we had gross contamina-
tion of the waterfront at that time, and the waterfront, where there was
an abundant crab life and sea life, they're gone today.
So when we speak of the ecology of the Islands, we speak of the
killing off of fish life and other sorts of life -- are they damaged by
fecal contamination or is the damage greater by chemical contamination?
You notice in England how the chemicals used for the asphalt spill
did more damage than the asphalt that was already there. So these are
things that concern the citizens of our Island.
And the willingness of our citizens to speak out will play an
important part in what we do. I would like to commend Mr. McFarlane on
his approach to this problem, and I hope we can stimulate other members
to come forward, and perhaps in the final analysis, we can pool the
resources of the citizens and come up with a practical solution to our
problems.
MR. TRAINA: I might add, this, I think, is one of the first times
in my experience with the government that we have had such a situation
where we have come to the states aksing them to participate in a pre-
planning time this program authorized at the moment is just a three-
year investigation to sort of look into this situation of the estuaries
and estuarine management.
So we are happy to hear from you people just what the problems are.
For a change of pace, we would like to call on Miss Lucia Nelthropp.
I guess Miss Melthropp is not here.
The next individual we have is Mr. Sunder1in, representing Harvey
Alumina.
MR. RUSSELL SUNDERLIN; I am Russell Sunder1in, Assistant General
Manager of Harvey Alumina. Mr. Chairman, Ur*.Ahduze, Mr. Francois,
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ladies and gentlemen: Our statement is as follows:
"Harvey Alumina supports an objective, comprehensive study of
the effects of pollution on estuaries and estuarine waters of the
United States as provided for in Title II, Section 5, (g) (1) Clean
Water Restoration Act of 1966.
"We believe that by pooling the knowledge, capabilities and
resources of federal, state, and local agencies together with special-
ized knowledge available in industry, a productive study can be made.
"As it applies locally, such a study should be directed to the
determination of:
1. General water circulation system.
2. Currents.
a. Surface and subsurface
b. Strength and direction as a function of time
c. Effect of wind, wave, tide, littoral drift
3. Eddy diffusivity or dispersion characteristics.
4. Density structure, salinity-temperature-depth relationship.
5. Wave and swell effects.
6. Submarine topography.
and to the determination of the beneficial uses, such as:
1. Water contact sports.
2. Marine recreation.
3. Fisheries, economic and sport.
4. Industrial commercial cooling, et cetera.
5. Waste disposal.
6. Others.
"Only with a definite knowledge of the above factors, as they
pertain to local waters, can an intelligent establishment of reason-
able criteria to preserve the beneficial uses of our estuarine waters
be made.
"In view of the above, it is respectfully suggested that a small
committee of people knowledgable in the field be established to assist
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Dr. Roy Anduze in coordinating Virgin Island interests in this study.
"We would be happy to volunteer someone from our organization
to serve on such a committee."
Thank you.
MR. TRAINA: Thank you, Mr. Sunderlin. X would like to ask one
question or make a comment. Do you see such a group as a continuing kind
of a group established to feed information to and get information back as
a useful tool for you with industry?
MR. SUNDERLIN: Yes, I think that Harvey's attitude is that a con-
tinuing observation and evaluation of what's going on is the proper way
to go about these things, and I would like to supplement Mr. McFarlane's
point, the local aspect of this thing is most important.
We are prepared to consider -- well, as a matter of fact, we do con-
sider ourselves a member of the community, and we hope to be just as
responsible as we would expect any other members in any community to be.
DR. ANDUZE: When you mention one central water supply, do you mean
potable water, desalinized water, or do you mean industrial water supply
consisting of salt water for flushing?
MR. SUNDERLIN: I don't think I used that term. I believe I said,
"As it applies locally, such a study should be directed to the deter-
mination of: (1) General water circulation system."
This is in reference to the circulation of water in our coastal
waters.
DR. ANDUZE: You're speaking of estuarial waters?
MR. SUNDERLIN: Yes.
DR. ANDUZE: Thank you,
MR. TRAINA: Thank you very, very much.
Next we have Mr. Walter Ammon, W. G. Amnion Corporation.
MR. FRANCOIS: Mr. Ansnon might be in St. Thomas.
MR, TRAINA: Mr. Edgar Mullgrau. Mr. Mullgrau is with the Virgin
Islands Association of Architects, Epgineers, and Land Surveyors.
MR. EDGAR MULLGRAU: My organization strongly feels that a study or
survey of the estuarine problems here in the Virgin Islands Is sorely
needed, not only from the standpoint of conservation, wildlife, and things
of that sort, but also from the standpoint of what is going to happen to
our coast line in terms of further development in St. Croix.
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By that, I mean we anticipate a central system here with natural
outflow of sewage and things like that going toward the south side in
the estuary.
We are supposed to be having sewage treatment plants, which, as we
all know, the effluent still carries a certain amount of Escherichia coli
and other pathogenic organisms.
What will become of this sewage when it is dumped into our estuaries
in and around St. Croix? As far as the Association is concerned, from
an aesthetic and architectural point of view, we think that if this occurs
to any great extent, it would be a deterrent to the further development
of St. Croix in terms of our economical well-being and in terms of our
social well-being.
Because of that reason, we would go 100 per cent behind the federal
agencies in making a thorough survey to come up with corrections in
terms of not today, but in five years from today, or ten years from today,
when it is believed that the population index for the Island will be con-
siderably increased. Thank you.
MR. TRAINA: I would like to ask some questions. Of course, you
have some unique problems with regard to water pollution control here,
especially from an engineering point of view.
Has your Association directed itself in terms of closed systems for
water supply or for sewage disposal, for that matter? Has there been
much of this kind of discussion, if anything else?
MR. MULLGRAU: No, we have not dealt with that in detail at this
time. However, that is on our program. When I received the letter
from Mr. Thoman -- X think he is your Regional Director --we considered
having somebody come here and make a short statement to let you know
exactly how we feel concerning this entire matter and the need for this
survey to show us how to approach this pollution of our estuarine areas.
MR. TRAINA: I might add, as we mentioned earlier, we will keep the
record open for 15 days. So anything your Association would like to
send to us, we would be more than happy to include it.
MR. MULLGRAUj All right, sir.
DR. ANDUZE: How does your Association feel about the reuse of water?
MR. MULLGRAU: The reuse of water, as far as the Association is con-
cerned, is apart from the aesthetic aspect of it. They feel that it is
a parctical approach.
It is also a functional approach, provided, of course, the total
destruction of organisms detrimental to welfare and all that, has been
diminished.
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DR. ANDUZE: Do you think the community will accept the reuse of
water for industrial purposes or agricultural purposes?
MR. MULLGRAU: They might go along with us, provided that they are
prepared in advance, in terms of educational programs.
The Department of Health and other agencies involved will maintain
to the public and so forth this stuff is coming back, it's all clean,
and clear and healthful and all that.
There will be no pollutants, no pathogens, no this, and that and the
other, to make the people sort of feel that this sewage is something
healthy and not harmful.
DR. ANDUZE: Do you approve of this system of increasing the yard-
age of outfalls or increased chemical treatment of the effluent? Which
would you prefer? Which would you recommend?
MR. MULLGRAU: Speaking personally, I would prefer increased chemi-
cal treatment of effluent, of course, rather than running the effluents
further out into the ocean.
DR. ANDUZE: As I understand it, you would prefer to chemically
treat sewage and dump it into the bay, rather than sending outfalls
further out? Of course, we assume an oceanographic study would be made
with regard to the currents.
You feel that this chemical treatment would be more workable
MR. MULLGRAU: Provided, however, that a chemical treatment has
been such that it will not leave any harmful residue to natural resour-
ces, such as fish life and things like that.
DR. ANDUZE: Well, do you know of any chemical that is strong
enough to treat the body coli that you mention that wouldn't harm
animal life?
MR. MULLGRAU: Not offhand, no.
MR. TRAINA: I think this back to the point that was made earlier
about the need of research. When we talk about estuaries from a scien-
tific point, we are talking about an area that very few people know about.
I think before we arrive at some of these designs, we have to look
more into the system and see how it works.
MR. MULLGRAU: Thank you very much.
MR. TRAINA: I would next like to call on Lee Morris, St. Croix
Diving Association, Fairleigh-Dickinson University.
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MR. W..LEE MORRIS: Dr. Anduze, Mr. Traina, ladies and gentlemen:
My name is Lee Morris, and I am representing the St. Croix Wving
Association and also I am representing Fairleigh-Dickinson University.
I have been a resident of St. Croix since 1964. I taught science
here at St. Dunstan's for one year. I have traveled a great deal under
the water around St. Croix, around Florida and the Bahamas.
Pollution, so far as I see it, is an act that renders water unfit
for its intended use. We have several kinds of pollution, organic pol-
lution, or organic waste, which we know comes from both humans and
animals.
We also have organic, waste from food processing, or in the Virgin
Islands, rum processing. We have pollutants that pollute the waters
from insecticides, petroleum products, radioactivity, and metal poisons.
We have dissolved or suspended solids, silt from runoffs or runoffs
from drains. We have dredge silt, and last, but not least, we have
thermal pollution.
I would like to make a few comments on each of these particular
types of pollution. Most of you here are aware of the sewer outfalls
we have, both in Christiansted and Frederiksted.
Probably you haven't been as close to these sewer outfalls as I
have been personally, because I am by nature a very curious individual.
Sometimes I might get myself into a great deal of hot water on account
of it.
Last year, the Virgin Islands government requested bids for a
sewer, for laying of a sewer outfall line in Frederiksted. I had no
experience along these lines, but a group of my friends who are also
divers decided that we would survey this area and see if it seemed to
be feasible that we go into a new venture under the water.
We surveyed these small sewer outfalls that run from the fisher-
men's market there in Frederiksted. The bid was to lay this line 180
feet from land out.
The water was, at the deepest part, 22 feet deep. It seemed to
me at the time that this was not really far enough. We studied the
situation, we took a few pictures, but unfortunately, none of them
turned out very well.
We nosed around here and there and could really not come up with
too many conclusions, because of our lack of knowledge about outfall
systems. The only thing that I could actually state about this Fre-
deriksted outfall survey that we did was that there seemed to be
quite a few fish in the area where the sewage outfall deposited its
waste under the water.
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Now, along the same lines of sewer outfalls, most of us who have
been on St. Croix for a number of years are quite familiar with the
Christiansted outfall that deposits most of Christiansted1s sewage
on the north side of the reef, practically within sight of us in this
room.
Our prevailing winds here are from the east, but occasionally,
they will shift around to the north, and particularly during this
period of the year, they will come from the north sometimes for weeks
on end.
Unfortunately, the outfall's placement on the north side of the
reef allows the wind to blow whatever floating matter comes out of
that outfall system right back over the reef and into the southern
area of the Christiansted lagoon.
Unfortunately, after a north wind dies down, you can almost --
well, you can smell the sewage anywhere along the coast down from
Golden Rock almost to Pelocan Cove Beach Club.
I think this will be corrected in the future by a sewage treat-
ment plant. But to us who are here right now, things seem to move so
slowly, and with the population of the island increasing as much as
it has been, I certainly hope that the Virgin Islands government will
pull out all stops to get a sewage treatment plant in St. Croix in
the very near future.
I have not done too much surveying in the areas of seaside
hotels on St. Croix. We have quite a few, but I suspect that we
have raw sewage coming from seaside hotels under the sea also.
This is just my own personal feeling on the matter. Rum pro-
cessing is a type of organic, or discharges a type of organic waste.
If you are in the area of Frederiksted approaching the airport on a
hot day, you can certainly tell that there is rum-processing waste
flowing down a little estuary there towards the sea.
Under the topic of poisons, I think petroleum products is pro-
bably the most predominant concern that we have here, since we have
our new Hess Oil Refinery on the south side of the island.
I might also inject a positive thought here, that is, from my
standpoint, it seems that Hess and Harvdy both have done an excellent
job in setting up their harbors so that if an accident occurs within
the harbor and there is seepage or spillage of any chemical, these
areas can be contained almost 100 percent until the chemical is taken
care of, and is cleaned up.
In the future, we will probably have some problems with thermal
pollution from our desalination plant down in Christiansted Harbor,
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but I think this will be very minor because the area has been tho-
roughly silted over and there really isn't too much life there to
kill any more.
The agencies or the businesses that have been pumping sand out
of Christiansted Harbor have done a very good job of silting over
the grass and killing the shellfish in that area.
It will take many years for that to return. I think one of the
largest or biggest disappointments I have had since I have been in the
Virgin Islands was reading a story in the "San Juan Star" shortly
after a government agency awarded a large marine laboratory facility,
and that story was, or that paragraph in the story that concerned me
was, the reason St. Croix was not chosen for this marine laboratory
was that the south side of the island had been completely ruined for
study of ecology and marine biology.
I don't know from my personal survey if this is true. I just
know that a lot of fishermen,native fishermen, from that section of
the island, have had to change their habits in fishing places because
of the silt from the dredge areas over around the industrial section
of the island.
Dr. Anduze, you mentioned chemicals doing more damage in England
than the actual petroleum or asphalt. This has been very true in
Puerto Rico.
A very prominent marine biologist from Puerto Rico has gone on
record as saying the detergents and other things that were used in
Puerto Rico to try to do away with the crude oil that spilled from
the Puerto Rican tanker have done more damage thati the crude oil
would have done.
Thank you, gentlemen, for allowing me to speak my piece. If
there are any questions, I will be happy to try to answer them.
MR. TRAINA: I just have one comment, Mr. Morris, regarding
your last statement about use of detergents in Puerto Rico.
This agency was down there the entire time. After the first
few days, we advised the authorities there not to use detergents
which they had begun to use.
We have been very much aware of the problems regarding deter-
gents in controlling oil spills. The use of detergents was stopped
rather quickly.
DR. ANDUZE: I would like to thank you for making such a thought-
provoking presentation. Now, water pollution, if it changes the water
for the purpose for which it is intended, as far as people who are
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interested in diving, they would like to maintain the water in a
certain state, but, of course, if you're going to bring an industry
in, it will temporarily destroy animal life.
Well, I know how you feel, because being a horse lover, I was
angry'because I couldn't run my horse up Raphuna Hill because of the
traffic. I don't think that the government would allow me to stop the
traffic so I could ride my horse.
The executive branch has to be aware of many, many factors.
However, I would like to point out to you some of the problems that
you have indicated have been taken into consideration in Christian-
sted, pumping stations, south road interceptors, cross-city inter-
ceptors -- this will amount to some $2,840,000.
I mean, this is a proposed expenditure to take care of some of
the problems. I will .have to agree with you that this should have
been done before. I don't even think with the bonding authority --
the local government can only go so much in debt.
There is no unlimited debt to which it can subject itself, al-
though you can answer and say this can be made a revenue-producing
bonding indebtedness.
MR. MORRIS: I don't want to be misinterpreted to the extent that
I leave a feeling that I am completely negative with the government's
attempts.
I do feel that the government is a bit slow, but most of us who
act rapidly to change feel this way: that most governments do have
to gain some impetus and get some good ideas before they continue on
in a head-on rush-in on pollution.
But like ypu said, there have to be certain surveys. These things
must be done before you can hop in with both feet. But this is a step
in the right direction.
DR. ANDUZE: I would like to say this: We are public servants,
and we need a stimulation of people like you to Challenge us into using
all the brain power we have.
I did want to let you know that the government was aware of this
situation, and the government is moving slowly, but we are going to
try to correct it, and I think -- I repeat again, I thought your pre-
sentation was very thought provoking.
MR. MORRIS: Thank you. One other thing. I don't want to leave
the impression that I am against all industry coming to St. Croix.
That's certainly not the case.
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I feel that we need this diversification in our economy, as
long as it's contained in that particular area which is already
now desecrated.
MR. FRANCOIS: 1 would like to ask you two questions. Have
you been on the south^coast recently? How is that area now?
MR, MORRIS: Personally, no, I have not been there recently.
Being a diver, I spend most of the time looking for clear water.
My reports are strictly second-hand from most of the native fish-
ermen I know that used to fish in that area.
MR. FRANCOIS: Is there any dredging being done in the harbor
now?
MR. MORRIS: I believe there is dredging being done there pre-
sently. A sand company -- I don't know the firm that is doing this
dredging plus, there is another dredging outfit over next to the
entrance to Allatoona Lagoon on the east side of the harbor.
MR, FRANCOIS: Thank you.
MR. TRAINA: Mr. Morris, again, thank you. We appreciate your
coming.
Next we have Mr. Richard Newtek, president of Sea Rovers, Inc.
MR. RICHARD NEWICK: tty name is Richard Newtek. I am a boat"
builder and designer. I operate a fleet of charter boats. I am a
member of the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce, member of the St.
Croix Yacht Club.
I would like first to talk about municipal sewage, which we see
a great deal of in Charlotte Amalle Harbor and some in Chrlstiansted
Harbor.
Charlotte Amalle Harbor today is an open sewer. There are several
million dollars' worth of yachts In Charlotte Amalle Harbor, and they
bring a great deal of business to the island, and they leave as soon
as they can with their guests, because It's such an unpleasant-smelling
place to stay.
We have ships carrying thousands of guesta coming Into the harbor
for days, or usually a day, and as far as I know, Dr. Anduce, I am
sure you could tell me, there la no connection for the ship sewage
systems -- they dump their sewage right Into the harbor, Is that cor-
rect?
OR. ANDUZE: That's correct.
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MR. NEWICK: And I think this is the situation in all of the world's
large harbors. There is no international agreement that ships cannot
dump sewage in harbors.
This will have to come, and it will have to come soon. A regula-
tion to prohibit large ships from dumping unlimited sewage into the
rivers they use must also come.
MR. TRAINA: There are regulations regarding ballast water. There
is some regulation now being proposed that will cover small boats, house-
boats, and recreational craft.
MR NEWICK: I am glad you brought that up, Mr. Chairman. There are
regulations in many states today that have been just passed in a panic
in the legislatures in the last two or three years to control the sew-
age that is discharged from yachts, and I think it is very unfortunate
that yachtsmen don't have the political base that the large ship owners
do to fight their cause, because a yacht or a fleet of a thousand yachts,
each with one person aboard, is still contributing less sewage in the
harbor than compared with one large ship.
One Navy ship in Charlotte Amalie Harbor, multiplied by four Navy
ships, doubled by three medium-sized ships, will dump as much into the
harbor as the whole town does today, and the town is dumping all of its
sewage into the harbors, I understand.
These things are infinitely more important than regulating ten
houseboats or 50 yachts.
MR. TRAINA: I guess the old adage, "Every litter bit hurts,"
applies.
MR. NEWICK: Every litter bit hurts, and the man that can least
fight back is the owner of a small boat, so he gets hurt first with the
regulations, with unenforceable regualtions, and this is what I would
hate to see happen in the Virgin Islands.
I would much rather see the government prohibited from dumping
sewage in the harbor, millions of gallons of sewage into the harbor,
than I would see the owners of a hundred yachts prohibited from dump-
ing their one per cent of sewage into the harbor.
I think that first things should come first. If we are going to
regulate the small craft, let's regulate them in their order, which is
right down to the bottom of the list.
Christiansted Harbor is much the same. The sewage outfall was
probably improperly placed. I have talked to local politicians who
assure me that it was good, because everything went west, but these
local politicians, although they were bom and spent their lives here,
have never spent an hour in Christiansted Harbor, and they don't know
what they're talking about.
-------
I would like to talk for a moment about oil on beaches. Then years
ago -- 12 years ago -- when I came here, there was no oil on our beaches.
That's one reason I stayed here.
Five years ago, there were specks of oil on our beaches occasionally.
Today we have globs of oil and small lakes of oil floating into our
beaches, tarry, thick oil that becomes liquid in the hot sun and gets
all over the feet of our guests, gets all over the decks of our boats,
which we spend hours to fight, and it's a losing battle.
We are not equipped to fight it, and I don't think those of us
who are represented in this room are equipped to fight it with legis-
lation. It's got to be internationally controlled.
It's got to be controlled internationally.
MR. TRAINA: Do you know where the source of this is?
MR. NEWICK: I do not know as a fact, but I know as an educated
guess it's coming from passing tankers blowing their ballast tanks.
The reason that I don't know it as a fact, you can't talk to a tanker
skipper and get him to admit that he pumped out 5000 gallons of oil
that was mixed with 50,000 gallons of water, because it wasn't --
he is not going to tell us that.
His owners aren't going to admit it either. It's an economic
fact of life that he is -- he is an island unto himself out on the
sea. He answers to no man.
MR. FRANCOIS: Is this oil coming up in certain sections of the
island, or all over?
MR. NEWICK: I am mostly familiar with the north coast.
MR. FRANCOIS: Buck Island, the Yacht Club?
MR. NEWICK: I have seen 16 messes of oil come in there in the
last few months. I doubt seriously if it's coming from any local
ship that is coming here.
I think they are too smart to do something like that too close
to the beach, but a glob of oil that is discharged off the coast of
Africa is going to end up on St. Croix's beaches.
No matter where it is discharged, It's going to stick together
until it comes to a beach.
MR. TRAINA: Have these been reported to any territorial agency?
MR. NEWICK: Not by me.
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MR. TRAINA: I think the United States Coast Guard has had-re-
sponse in this area. This agency is getting some response in this
area.
MR. NEWICK: In the past, the Coast Guard hasn't had enough
personnel to enforce the laws that are on the books now, and I have
given up reporting things to the U, S. Coast Guard.
MR. TRAINA: All of us in governmental work, face this fact of
lack of personnel and so forth. There is before the United States
Congress, with regard to oil pollution, ligislation to make it a
very severe penalty for the discharge -- willful discharge -- of
oil
MR. NEWICK: Willful discharge of oil. Some Congressman put
in that work "willful" there and made the law absolutely unenforce-
able. They are just words. They don't mean a thing.
Just because some Congressman put the one work "willful" in,
there is nothing the government can do about the oil that is floating
on our beaches and in our waters today.
I still maintain that there is nothing that can be done on a
local, state or national level to control a Greek tanker 500 miles
from St. Croix from pumping his ballast tanks with whatever he has
got in them just because it's cheaper for'him to run through the
Caribbean with half of his ballast after he had to cross the Atlantic
with all of his ballast.
He saves his owner's money, and he is going to do it. No matter
what law we write in Washington, the only hope that that I see, gen-
tlemen, is to have research come up with a cheap way for him to treat
his ballast so it is discharged harmlessly.
I think this is a great responsibility of those who operate
tankers and buy oil or use oil. I think this is a very high priority
thing.
MR. FRANCOIS: We have also learned that during World War II
there were about 40 ships sunk in this area, and after 20 years,
those tankers are about to rupture now.
MR. NEWICK: My experience has been that iron under water doesn't
rust. You may have seepage from these vessels I think that is quite
likely -- but I don't know how we can prove where this oil is coming
from on our beaches.
But it is here, and it is hurting tourism in the Virgin Islands
today. I would like to say, in closing, that the heavy industry we
have in the Virgin Islands today is artificial in the sense that it
is hot here on an economically sound basis.
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It is here £or political reasons, for tax reasons, incentives
that come and go with administrations of Washington in the Virgin
Islands. I think this isn't an attack on the heavy industry that
was here.
This is what I feel is just a fact that should be recognized,
the heavy industry is not based on natural resources here in the
Virgin Islands, and because it is not, if it is no longer economically
feasible for them to be here, I feel that in spite of their 50 million
dollars' investment, they will very quickly.leave when it's no longer
economical for them to be here.
But we will always have some sunshine and we will always have
beaches, and these things are vital to the Virgin Islands. Anything
that you and the government can do to help us protect them, you will
find a lot of support from people like myself. Thank you.
MR. TRAINA: Thank you very much, sir.
The next gentleman we have is Mr. Anthony Ayer, who is first
vice-president of the Frederiksted Civic Association.
MR. ANTHONY AYER: Mr. Chairman, my name is Anthony Ayer. I
am from Frederiksted. I am a realtor and have been a resident of
St. Croix for approximately 18 years. I am speaking as first vice-
president of the Frederiksted Civic Association and as a member of
the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce.
The variable shore line of these Virgin Islands can readily be
divided into three categories. The first is rock coast line, some-
times falling several hundred feet directly into the sea.
Over 40 percent of St. Croix's shore line falls in this category,
and the majority of it is neither accessible nor readily developable
for recreation purposes.
The second category could be described as waterfront that can be
developed, such as swamps, lagoons, bays and natural inlets. About
40 percent of our coast line is in this category.
In the coming years, these areas will be developed to provide
the increased recreational and residential needs of our island. In
some instances, the extremely high cost of drainage, dredging, blast-
ing or bulkheading will slow down the inevitable, but only temporarily.
The third category consists of our natural and artificial harbors
and beaches that already exist. This last group constitutes less than
20 percent of the existing shore line, but in terms of use by popula-
tion, over 80 percent of all water-oriented activities, whether recrea-
tion, commerce, or industry, takes place on or abput this 20 percent
of our shore.
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In terras of pollution, we can ignore the first category of
rocky coast line. It is not now polluted by natural process and is
either unusable or inaccessible by man, hence there is no artificial
pollution to any great extent.
The second category of developable, shore line is already polluted
by nature, or, as I refer to it, the natural process of vegetative and
animal decay.
Artificial pollution by garbage dumps, private sewage fields and
wholesale raw human waste by government disposal systems are rapidly
increasing the pollution of these areas.
By nature, these swamps, lagoons and estuaries contain porous
sand and mud that absorb the waste materials. Also, in most of these
swamps or bays there is little or no ocean current or tide to assist
in the cleansing flow of sea water.
The waste stays where it was left and rather than disappear, will
become greater as more vegetation dies and more artificial pollution
is added.
The t;hird category, that of developed coast, such as beaches and
harbors, is rapidly being polluted by artificial means, rather than,
as in the previous case, by nature.
Fortunately, our beaches are still swlmmable, but for how much
longer? Our harbors, both Christiansted and Frederiksted, are in
immediate peril; however, Port Harvey and the Hess complex are to the
best of my knowledge, still relatively free from artificial pollution
though natural pollution and silting are evident at Port Harvey.
Raw sewage is presently being discharged directly at the shore
line in Frederiksted in three different locations. There are two old
cast-iron outfall lines to carry sewage from town.
These originally extended about 100 feet out to sea, but have
since broken up or cracked so that raw sewage floats to the surface
within 25 feet of shore,
A new sewage outfall is presently being constructed south of
town near the fish market. I understand that this is a pressure
outfall that carries raw sewage from the new housing project out to
sea for a total of approximately 600 feet.
At that point, the sea bottom Is approximately 18 feet below
sea level and consists primarily of sand with some coral outcropping
and sea growth.
The raw sewage will, to some degree, be absorbed by the sand.
The sea currents at this distance from shore are constant, however,
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and it is hoped that the sewage will be carried out to sea so that
no pollution will occur along the shore.
The two broken outfall lines opposite Hill and Market Streets
are not sufficient to introduce the sewage into the current, and as
a result, residue is evident on the shore.
The Christiansted Harbor has much the same problem in that sewage
appears along the shore within the harbor. The existing outfall car-
ries to the leading edge of the reef or approximately 4000 feet
from shore in a northeasterly direction.
The winds, waves and sea currents, however, come from the
east and north, and, therefore, carry much of the sewage back
inside the reef near Little Princess.
The water depth beyond the reef falls rapidly to over 500 feet
and I submit that the outfall should be sufficiently extended so
that the sewage is discharged well beyond the reef and near the sea
bottom.
In addition to the previously mentioned sewage disposal pro^
blems, we have still in practice an archaic method of waste disposal
commonly known as "night soil."
Slum properties in both towns often don't boast of modern
toilet facilities, thus "night soil" is collected in cans and
disposed of south of the airport near Estate Envy.
This sewage is dumped at the water's edge and is carried along
the shore as it gradually disintegrates and dilutes, in the process,
contaminating several beaches and resort hotel areas.
I have personally seen raw sewage awash at the Estate Carlton
Hotel beach, which is directly west and over two miles away. I
can only conclude that it originated at the "night soil" dump.
Pollution other than sewage is evident on our beaches pri-
marily concentrated in proximity to both town harbors. This, I
understand, is under direct jurisdiction of the Harbor Master's
Office and the U. S. Coast Guard.
In addition to its being extremely hazardous to small craft,
this pollution, in terms of tin cans, wooden and cardboard cartons,
lumber, et cetera, is unsightly, but relatively easy to prevent
if the officials in authority would exercise their powers more
diligently.
This type of pollution is of great concern of all; however,
It doesn't constitute the health hazard and permanent pollution
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damage that raw sewage will cause in destroying our beaches,
tainting our waters, killing our fish and bird life and eventually
chasing our tourists back to the States.
What, then, is the optimum use and future development of our
coastal resources? Government, both local and federal, will take
part, as will private individuals, hotel interests and industry.
Existing beaches and commercial marine facilities will be in
increasing demand. Larger piers must be built, existing facilities
expanded and improved, more beach property made available to public
use and in general, more adequate administration and policing of
the resources we now have.
Developers will probably, in the near future, begin reclaim-
ing some of our swamp lands to provide additional residential
communities. Hopefully, such developments will provide beach
facilities, marinas and other related recreational activities
for the public.
In my experience, private projects of this sort are much more
desirable and successfully constructed than government-controlled
projects, primarily due to the red tape inherent in any govern-
mental project.
Care must be taken that adequate sewage disposal is planned
for in these reclaimed areas. Our local government has finally
begun to face squarely the urgent problems inherent in disposal
of human waste.
Let us hope, with assistance from the federal government,
that adequate sewage and garbage disposal systems will immediately
be constructed to halt the tide.
We cannot be content with a half-adequate job. A complete
sewage treatment plant with a network of pipelines throughout the
island is the only answer.
Small, individual treatment plants are not economically sound
and extremely more difficult to administer if built by private
individual developers.
The reprocessed water from several large government plants
could be reintroduced below ground and substantially raise our
water table. Waste solids can be processed and cured for mineral
content or fertilizer, but only if rigidly controlled by health
inspectors and chemists.
This is, then, the role of the local and federal governments.
The private citizen, businessman, developer or Industrialist has
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the task of developing additional coastal areas for commercial,
industrial and primarily residential and recreational use.
Perhaps thought should be given to the preservation of some
of our marsh lands as bird and fish breeding grounds. If so, the
land should be acquired by a specific government agency designed
solely for that purpose.
Wildlife and marsh land refuges have well-known and proven
value for the public interest. I submit, however, that public or
private park and recreational areas are of much greater importance
on our small island where land is already at a premium than for
marsh land refuges.
Both public and private beach and recreational projects
have their place in our society. Federal and local governments
both must police and administer a certain number of such areas.
Private developers must do the same, but both should imme-
diately concern themselves with the cause and prevention of pollu-
tion so that adequate steps can be taken to halt further damage
to the rare and beautiful resources we now possess. Thank you.
MR. TRAINA: Thank you.
MR. FRANCOIS: This fecal material you saw over --
MR. AYER: I have seen it several times. I think the last
time I saw it was about six months ago.
MR. FRANCOIS: Six months ago? Was the wind blowing, say,
from the south?
MR. AYER: Southeast to east, bringing it right up to the
shore.
MR. FRANCOIS: Thank you.
MR. TRAINA: Thank you, again, sir.
At this time, I would like to mention, we have received two
communications from individuals who indicated they couldn't be
here, but would like to have made statements.
One is from Mr. John R. Harms, who is representing himself.
We have received another communication from Peter Sammartino, who
is the chancellor of the Fairlelgh-Dlckinson University.
Both of these statements will be included in the record. I
will now go back to some individuals we had called earlier. Perhaps
they have come In now.
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Mr. John Shultz. Miss Lucia Nelthropp. Mr. Walter Amnion.
These are the individuals that I have listed. Is there anyone
else I have not called that would like to make a statement at
this time?
Are there any statements, then, that anyone would care to
make at this time?
Dr. Anduze, is there anything you would like to add at this
time?
DR. ANDUZE: No, not at the present time.
MR. FRANCOIS: No.
MR. TRAINA: I appreciate your all coming. I think it has
been a very informative meeting, and from my standpoint, I have
learned a lot this morning.
I would like to say that this is the fourth meeting that we
have had, and I am very impressed with the level of knowledge
and concern that has been expressed here.
I think we in the water pollution regulatory business need
this kind of concern at the local level, as Dr. Anduze indicated,
to inspire us on.
I do want to mention the fact that the record will be made
available to everyone here registered. We hope to get published
documents out -- I won't even give a date, but when we do, we will
send copies to all of you who have registered.
Additional copies will be available in our offices in Atlanta
and Athens and in Dr. Anduze's office here in the Islands. I
think that is about all.
Walt just a minute. I have just received a note that Mr.
John Moore is on his way and would like very much to make a
statement. Why don't we take a break at this point.
(Short recess was taken.)
MR. TRAINA: I would like to now call on Mr. John W. Moore,
Assistant Commissioner of Public Works.
MR. JOHN W. MOORE; Mr. Chairman, committee members, ladies
and gentlemen: My name is John W. Moore, and I am assistant
commissioner for the Department of Public Works on St. Croix.
At the outset of my statement, I would like to express appre-
ciation to the Department of Interior, Federal Water Pollution
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Control Administration, for this opportunity to discuss water
pollution in our islands.
This is a problem of paramount importance to all of us who
live and work in the Virgin Islands. As you know, gentlemen,
these Islands, within the space of a few progressive years, have
become one of the major tourist attractions under the flag of the
United States.
Today, because of this administration's acute awareness of
the advantages of national publicity, promotion and advertising,
thousands upon thousands of visitors come to these beautiful
shores and spend millions upon millions of dollars -- under the
American flag -- each year.
This means tourism is our major industry. And the Virgin
Islands are now in the process of developing another industry
closely related to tourism, which, in my opinion, will add untold
financial benefits to our islands in the years to come. This is
the multimillion-dollar convention industry.
Last year, through the efforts of Governor Ralph M. Paiewonsky,
the Virgin Islands were chosen as the site for the 59th Annual Na-
tional Governors' Conference a high honor for any area under
our flag.
The resultant publicity through state-side newspapers, maga-
zines and radio and television has already produced tangible re-
sults in these islands. It is my understanding that several large
conventions have already been booked into the Virgin Islands by
large stateside corporations. More and more will seek our islands
in the very near future.
There is another industry of major importance which is growing
ever more popular in the Virgin Islands. This is the sport of game
fishing. It is a matter of national record and local pride that
the largest marlin ever caught was landed in our Virgin Island
waters.
This brings us national recognition as a top-notch sports-
fishing area. This industry, too, will grow.
I give you this background, gentlemen,/to assure you that we
in the Virgin Islands are very much aware of the possible dangers
to our God-given assets, and to say that we are determined to
protect our waters and baachea from water pollution.
We know that tourists, conventionaires and game fishermen
come not only to our shores to enjoy our constant sunshine and
temperate climate, but to swim, snorkle, fish and sail our crystal-
clear waters and to sunbathe on our clean, white sandy beaches.
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We are very cognizant of the fact that we are not the only
land under the American flag which has sunshine and warm weather
and clean waters. We know we must keep our coastal waters, es-
tuaries, lagoons and harbors crystal clear and beautiful, because
without them, we will lose our advantageous position in tourism
and affiliated areas -- and lose them quickly.
So that our economic boat will not be wrecked by murky, dirty
waters, this administration has taken positive, forthright steps
to protect it from this danger.
It is now engaged in the planning of central sewerage systems
for the islands which will be adequate up to the year 2015.
Before going into this project, I would like to say that
the answer to this water pollution problem can only be achieved
through the cooperation of all agencies involved.
By this, X mean not only the federal and local governments,
but the cooperation of national organizations, federations, insti-
tutes, societies and councils that offer a wealth of the knowledge
from their experiments, experience and general know-how in the field
of antipollution, and the conservation of nature's assets in all
communities of the United States of America.
We are also aware that a large amount of the responsibility
for the success of this vital venture lies within our own community.
Citizens of the Virgin Islands must be vigilent in keeping debris
and waste materials away from our waters, not just today or to-
morrow, but every day to come.
To bring you to date about what is being done about sewage
in the Virgin Islands, I must take you back to December, 1961, or
just seven months after Governor Ralph M. Paiewonsky was appointed
governor of these islands by the late President John F. Kennedy.
At that time, the government entered into a contract with a
firm of engineers who began studies into methods of effecting an
up-to-date sewerage treatment system for these islands.
For various reasons, such as the population explosion, the
results of this study were not acceptable to the administration.
After this setback, the government entered into a contract
with the firm of Camp, Dresser and McKee, consulting engineers
of Boston, Massachusetts, to conduct a four-part investigation.
This firm was asked to: (1) determine the alternate methods
of constructing an intercepting sewerage system to transport the
sewerage generated on St. Croix and St. Thomas to one or more
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central points of treatment and disposal: (2) the alternate me-
thods of treatment and disposal of sanitary sewage; (3) the ade-
quacy of existing interceptors, lift stations, forced mains and out-
falls now serving the areas of Christiansted, Frederiksted and
Charlotte Atnalie; and (4) the cost estimate of the proposed works,
including a comparison of various alternate studies.
On November 23rd, 1966, the recommendation and proposals of
Camp, Dresser and McKee, were submitted to the government.
To summarize its findings, the firm proposed a sewerage system
designed for peak flows in the year 2015 with capabilities adequate
for approximately a fivefold increase in population, a 67-percent
increase in per-capita flow in the cities and their suburbs, and
a 100-percent increase in per-capita sewage flow in the remaining
portions of the islands.
The firm proposed a treatment plant on St. Thomas outside the
City of Charlotte Amalie area on the western end of the airport to
avoid the treatment plant effluent being discharged into the main
harbor.
On St. Croix, a regional treatment plant is recommended near
Krause Lagoon which would serve both the Christiansted and Freder-
iksted areas. The overall recommended construction for the Virgin
Islands has been programmed in two stages on St. Thomas, and three
stages on St. Croix.
Following the administration's acceptance in principle of the
Clamp, Dresser and McKee report, the Legislature of the Virgin
Islands, in April, 1967, passed a measure authorizing the governor
to negotiate with this firm for engineering services in the prepa-
ration and completion of plans, design and specifications necessary
for the implementation of the Camp, Dresser and McKee recommendations.
The governor did not immediately exercise this authority as
the question of the effects of salt water on sewage treatment systems
as proposed by Camp, Dresser, and McKee had not been given sufficient
consideration in the initial report.
Following meetings with a representative of the firm, it was
agreed that final engineering plans would provide for the use of
salt water in such systems and a contract was signed for the exe-
cution of these plans.
The firm's initial proposals, as a result of meetings between
insular officials, the Camp, Dresser and McKee representative, and
the regional director of the Federal Water Pollution Control Admin-
istration, have formed the basis for a federal grant application,
now being prepared, to assist the government in the implementation
of these projects.
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The applications in process will request construction grant
allotments. In its quest to explore all means, techniques and
methods available for the development of the most efficient sewage
treatment systems for the islands, the government has further
widened its approaches in this area.
On March 7, 1968, the government entered into contract with
the firm of Engineering Science, Inc., to conduct a study on the
feasibility of considering waste water purification and reuse in
the islands.
These consultants have begun studies in this area on St.
Croix, and on the basis of their findings, the government may
find it feasible to construct a pilot plant utilizing this process.
Should such a decision be reached, however, the resulting
purified water from this system would be used only for agricultural
or industrial purposes and not for human consumption.
In conclusion, gentlemen, it is my strong feeling that with
the already demonstrated interest by the government of the Virgin
Islands, with the cooperation and counsel of the federal government,
with the knowledge from organizations devoted to this problem, and
with the diligence of the citizens of this territory, these beauti-
ful islands should never suffer from the dangers of water pollution.
I thank you for the time you have allowed me to address you.
MR. TRAINA: Thank you very much, Mr. Moore.
DR. ANDUZE: Do you have any difficulty with regard to your
pump station when the current is off, so far as it affects sewage
disposal?
MR. MOORE: All of our pumps are electrical, and when the power
goes off, I mean, we have no means of pumping, and this means that
we are forced to use overflow bypass -- overflows, I mean -- to dis-
pose of the sewage, and it's dumped in the nearest accessible spot.
DR. ANDUZE: Lesser of two evils?
MR. MOORE: That's right. This is pretty much common practice
any place where they are using sewage disposal plants, or outfalls
or lift stations, one kind or another.
DR. ANDUZE: Do you feel if we increase the power facility in
the Island of St. Croix, that this will be ameliorated to some
extent?
MR. MOORE: I will say that it will become almost a negligible
factor. However, there is always that little point that you may
have a plugged line, or you have this or that or the other, and there
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are going to be times when there is going to be a small amount
of sewage that is going to find its way into our good shower water.
This is almost impossible to get around.
DR. ANDUZE: The mechanical factors.
MR. MOORE: There are mechanical factors that can't be con-
trolled. The amount that would be passed in such an event would
be a very small quantity and would have practically no effect on
the --
DR. ANDUZE: From an aesthetic viewpoint, it is not desirable?
MR. MOORE: Well, obviously, it's not desirable.
DR. ANDUZE: Thank you.
MR. TRAINA: Mr. Moore, getting away from the sewage for a
moment and going to this matter of dredging, this came up earlier.
Does public works review with the federal government the Corps
of Engineers' applications for dredging permits and so on?
MR. MOORE: Well, I might -- as far as I am concerned, in St.
Croix, we do not. I believe that this is a matter that is handled
in St. Thomas through an agency, and government agencies there, and
the Department of the Interior.
MR. TRAINA: I know we in the FWPCA at the federal level are
a great deal more involved in these reviews and find that water
pollution just goes beyond sewage, and silting from dredging opera-
tions is becoming rather critical.
I thought perhaps --
MR. MOORE: You're entirely right about this.
MR. TRAINA: Well, again, thank you very much, Mr. Moore.
MR. MOORE: You're quite welcome.
MR. TRAINA: Any other individuals remaining that would wish
to speak?
Well, again, thank you all for coming. On my behalf, and speak-
ing for Dr. Anduze, if I may, we appreciate your coming here, taking
your time to give us the benefit of your information.
The meeting is adjourned.
(Whereupon the hearing adjourned at 11:05 o'clock a.m.)
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PUBLIC MEETING
NATIONAL ESTUARINE POLLUTION STUDY
FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ADMINISTRATION
Senate Building St. Thomas
Charlotte Amalie Virgin Islands
April 19, 1968
The public meeting directed toward obtaining contributions from
the Virgin Islands interests regarding the National Estuarine Pollution
Study being conducted by the Federal Water Pollution Control Administra-
tion convened in the Senate Building, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Vir-
gin Islands, Friday morning, April 19, 1968, and was called to order at
9:30 a.m. by Dr. Roy Anduze.
DR. ROY ANDUZE: Ladies and gentlemen, this is a hearing on the
Clean Water Restoration Bill and the conditions of estuaries and streams
throughout the United States and territories.
We are honored to have with us this morning Mr. Traina, who repre-
sents the Regional Director, Southeast Region, Federal Water Pollution
Control Administration of the Department of the Interior, Mr. John R.
Thoman.
These hearings, as I understand them, are for the purpose of
finding out what is going on in the territory with regard to water pol-
lution in regard to the state and character of our coast line and the
water that surrounds it.
It is supposed to give the federal government information which
would be of value to them in planning to correct some of the evils
that presently exist.
Mr. Traina is here to collect information. He is here to learn
from you what the problem is, and when the territory, the state and
federal partnership has been firmly established, we hope that with
time and effort we will be able to correct some of the evils which
exist along the 175 miles of coast line we have here in the Virgin
Islands.
I can assure you that Mr. Traina and members of his staff are very
knowledgeable people in connection with this problem. So at this time,
I will let Mr. Traina take over.
MR. PAUL TRAINA: Thank you very much. Dr. Anduze has explained
our mission, but I will give you a little more specific background.
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The last amendment to the federal legislation on water pollution
control, the Clean Water Restoration Act, called for a three-year study
of the nation's estuaries.
As part of this study, we have been conducting public meetings
throughout the states and territories. I represent the Southeast
Region -- and let me add a personal note here: Mr. Thoman, regional
director, regrets he could not be here this week.
It appears that Senator Muskie is holding a hearing on thermal
pollution in Miami this week, and it was necessary for Mr. Thoman to
be present.
We in the Southeast have held four public meetings. This is the
fifth meeting. The first three were held in Mississippi, Georgia and
Florida.
Earlier this week we held a meeting in St. Croix. Next week we
are planning to hold a meeting in Puerto Rico. Then probably sometime
in the summer we will conclude, as far as our region is concerned,
with a meeting in Alabama.
The meetings are to get the interests, the opinions, the informa-
tion from the local groups involved in estuaries and estuarine manage-
ment. As I say, the law, which authorizes this study, specifically
calls for that information, and we are getting that information.
I know most of you have received letters inviting you to be here
on behalf of both the regional director of the FWPCA and the governor.
In those letters there was information, more specific information, in-
cluding a booklet on the study.
The record of this meeting will be held open for 15 days after
today to allow anyone who would like to submit a statement to be included
in the record.
We have with us Mr. Tommy Crites, our court reporter, who will be
taking the verbatim minutes of our meeting. The information, both writ-
ten and oral, will be printed in a report which will be sent to all of
you who have registered here.
We will have extra copies to provide to Dr. Anduze for further
distribution, and, of course, we will have copies of the report in our
own offices in Atlanta and Athens.
I think with those brief remarks that we will proceed with our
meeting. We have received here a list of individuals who have indicated
they would like to make statements.
I would like to start off with Mr. Thomas R. Blake, director of the
Virgin Islands Planning Board. Is Mr. Blake here?
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DR. ANDUZE: Not yet.
MR, TRAINA: Then I would like to call on Mr. Edward J. Moran,
vice-president of W. G. Ammon Corporation.
MR. EDWARD J. MORAN: Mr. Chairman, first of all, let me say, I am
representing Mr. Walter G. Ammon, president of the corporation, who is
fighting a strep throat.
These are his remark?. He is here today, and he had hoped to pre-
sent this statement, but under the circumstances, I think he had better
not try to go through with this. These are his remarks:
"I come before you.today as a citizen who is vitally interested
in the environment in which he lives and one who feels that every citizen
has a responsibility to preserve, not destroy, natural resources.
"I also come before you as president of the W. G. Ammon Corp-
oration, a Virgin Islands corporation that specializes in water and
sewage treatment.
"Our corporation has, for the past six years, been directly
involved in coping with this particular problem. In addition to com-
mercial and residential plants, we have had the pleasure over the years
of working with various departments, with and for various departments
of the government of the Virgin Islands charged with the responsibility
for sewage treatment.
"It may be of further interest for you to know that the W. G.
Ammon Corporation retains the services of Reynolds, Smith & Hills. They
are consulting architects from Jacksonville, Florida, and a firm that
has impeccable reputation in many fields, including water supply and
sewage treatment.
"I will present you with a copy of their credentials with
this presentation, if you would like to have it for the record.
"Dr. Charles Harding, a partner in the firm and responsible
for this Environmental Sanitation Division, has worked very closely
with us on a number of projects In these islands.
"As a matter of fact, Dr. Harding is here on an assignment
for us, and we have asked him to be present today to answer any ques-
tions that you might have after this presentation.
"Now, before I get into the text of the speech, or if it is
permissible, and if the slide projector works that we have brought along,
I would like to graphically explore with three or four or five slides
what we think the problem is.
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"These are slides that were taken in January of this year of
the Virgin Islands and graphically present the water pollution problem
that we will all hear about and are all concerned about.
"May I have a little help with that slide projector."
MR. TRAINA: Is there a possibility of our getting prints of these
slides?
MR. MORAN: As the presentation explains, I will give you a copy of
a report that we made that has the pictures in it. But if you would like
to have the slides themselves, I think we can have copies made for you.
MR. TRAINA: I think it would be most helpful.
MR. MORAN: We did an extensive study on the waterways of the
Virgin Islands.
MR. TRAINA: We won't be able to print it in color.
MR. MORAN: You're welcome to have them, in any event.
MR. TRAINA: Thank you.
MR. MORAN: I would like to beg your indulgence for just a
moment. The projector and the slides just arrived this morning. Thanks
to the post office, they delivered it bright and early this morning.
This shot here is the one opposite the tennis courts down here
in Long Bay, I believe. As you can see, there is a discharge of raw
sewage into the harbor.
Jerry, would you be good enough to point out the areas we
are talking about to move this along. This is down near the tennis
courts toward Yacht Haven. You can see where the raw sewage is being
discharged now into the harbor which is causing, of course, a pollution
problem there.
This is St. Thomas. This is another area near the new junior
high school in the land-fill area that shows a discharge into the
bay area of raw sewage.
This is St. Croix -- this shot is just opposite the Harvey and
Hess projects on the shore line.
("By the distillery -- down by the distillery" was heard from the
floor.)
MR. TRAINA; Excuse me. Is that silt there? That material?
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DR. C. I. HARDING: This picture shows the silt from the dredging
operation which discolors the inshore water, beginning at the channel
area. This does carry along the whole south shore.
This is rather dim, but in approximately the center position, there
is an area which occasionally does have raw sewage discharged at Chris-
tiansted Harbor.
This shows some of the silt -- this is in the industrial area.
This discoloration that you see going through here is from dredging
operations, but at the time this picture was made, we don't know what
it was, but something was being discharged here and being carried
along the shore.
These are the slides that show the nature of the problem.
MR. MORAN: We thought those slides could more graphically present
than I could have the problem we are presenting ourselves to and one
we are all interested in correcting.
And this is Mr. Amnion's prepared speech:
"Mr. Chairman, based on our experience in the field of sewage
treatment in these islands for the past six years and research completed
by my firm, along with our consulting engineers, I am presenting the
following information in an effort tb shed additional light on the
scope of the problem of water pollution in these islands, and our solu1-
tion for solving it.
"As you may know, the Virgin Islands is enjoying a growing
tourist industry, a thriving economy and is expanding and diversifying
its industry.
"The Virgin Islands is enjoying this growth not only because
more people have more money to spend, but because the islands them-
selves have been blessed with an ideal climate, crystal-blue water,
beautiful beaches, lush vegetation, commanding mountains and abundant
marine life.
"The repid development of these islands places them on the
threshold of a population explosion that will more than double the
present population by 1980.
"Public services, sewer, water and electric power, must be
provided if this growth is to be orderly and beneficial to the islands.
Growth will be severely curtailed if these facilities are inadequate.
"Based on estimates of the Virgin Islands Planning Board,
the 1970 population of the Virgin Islands is estimated to be 63,000
with growth to 119,000 by 1980, and 150,000 by 1990.
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"In St. Croix, the population is expected to Increase to
26,000 by 1970, and 45,000 by 1980, with the majority of the increase
in the central St. Croix area.
"In St. Thomas, the population is expected to grow to 70,000
by 1980, a fourfold increase over the 1960 census. The 1970 population
is estimated to be 36,000.
"The increase is expected to take place predominantly in two
districts -- Charlotte Amalie and Tutu. Included in Tutu area are Red
Hook, Mangrove Lagoon and Tutu itself.
"St. John is expected to grow to approximately 1,800 to 2,000
people by 1980.
"As I stated earlier, if this growth is to be orderly and
beneficial to the islands, public services, sewer, water and electric
power must be provided. For purposes of this statement, I will confine
my remarks to water and sewage.
"Affecting the volume of sewage, is the consumption of water.
On the island of St. Thomas, water consumption is expected to increase
from an estimated 3.1 million gallons per day in 1970, to 5.2 million
gallons per day in 1980, and 8.1 million gallons per day in 1990.
"St. Croix consumption will also increase from an estimated
1.6 million gallons per day in 1970, to 3.2 million gallons in 1980,
and 5.5 million gallons in 1990.
"Now, sewage volume in St. Thomas is estimated to be 2.3
million gallons per day in 1970, 5.2 million gallons in 1980, and 8.1
million gallons in 1990.
"St. Croix sewage volume is estimated to be 1.6 million
gallons per day in 1970, 3.2 million gallons in 1980, and 5.5 million
gallons in 1990.
"The existing waste collection and disposal facilities do not
meet the needs of the islands, and, for some areas, do not exist.
"Raw sewage and industrial wastes are being dumped into the
waters and harbors destroying their natural beauty and precious marine
life, polluting the beaches and, most important, creating a possible
health hazard.
"The size of the problem is best illustrated by the amount of
money it will take to solve it. The solution is estimated to cost
between 15 to 30 million dollars.
"If remedies are not forthcoming quickly and effectively,
growth in these islands will be severely curtailed and will, in our view,
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place in jeopardy everything we now have going for us.
"What is the solution? How do we dispose of vast amounts of
sewage without polluting and destroying our natural resources? Our
detailed recommendations are contained in a written report that I will
give you, along with a copy of my statement,
"Briefly, however, we propose a three-phase water quality
restoration master plan for the Virgin Islands. Phase I is designed to
immediately correct the most critical water pollution problems which
now exist.
"Phase II is designed to proceed concurrently with Phase I.
It provides for detailed engineering studies to determine where capital
savings could be accomplished by application of the most advanced forms
of waste treatment, water reclamation and/or a combination of two or
more disposal functions.
"As you know, significant economies have been shown to accrue
from combining sewage treatment and refuse disposal. With this arrange-
ment, raw sewage sludge is combined with ground refuse and composted
aerobically to produce a soil conditioner.
"Other possibilities for combined treatment are the use of
sewage effluent as feed materials for desalting plants; the use of
highly treated sewage effluent in a sanitary flush system such as that
which exists in Charlotte Amalie; the combined disposal of sewage sludge
and refuse by incineration either with or without heat recovery and
combined disposal of treated domestic sewage and treated industrial
waste through a common ocean outfall.
"Recent studies have shown that sufficient heat value may be
available in refuse to significantly reduce the fuel or steam cost
associated with distillation of sea water.
"The detailed engineering studies in Phase II would also
include the development of optimum designs for interceptors, lift
stations and force mains.
"The advanced engineering of these designs is a combination
of classical sewer design technology utilized to obtain the least cost
design for any given set of conditions.
"Thus, designs for any given component would be made on the
basis of the latest available information on growth patterns, water,
disposal volumes, materials, construction and engineering costs, plus
an adequate reserve for anticipated expansion.
"Phase III is the construction program of the facilities
designed during Phase II. Phases II and III are designed to overlap
extensively, since it would have been unwise to attempt to complete
the overall system design based wholly on projected growth patterns.
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"Facilities would be designed and constructed in an orderly
fashion over an eight-to ten-year period to meet the needs of the rapidly
growing population.
"The master plan is designed with built-in flexibility to
adjust to patterns of growth which vary from those now predicted.
"The general approach of the master plan provides for sewage
generated in individual homes, businesses and industries to be disposed
on site via septic tanks or package sewage treatment plants or collected
and transported to a central plant for treatment and disposal.
"Industry normally pretreats their specific trade wastes with*
out reliance on municipal facilities.
"In the three cities of Charlotte Amalie, Frederiksted and
Christiansted, central sewer systems now exist, but the sewage thus
collected is not treated and is discharged raw into the harbors of the
three cities.
"Outside of these urban areas, most sewage disposal is by
septic tank or in recent housing developments, through package sewage
treatment plants.
"In developing our master plan, natural drainage areas are
utilized as the basis for most sewer district lines. Other considera-t
tions in the selection of the geographic boundaries of districts were
population density and growth potential of each area, terrain charac-
teristics which would either enhance or limit future development, land-
use plans prepared by the Virgin Islands Planning Board and existing and
potential industrial development.
"On these bases, the three islands were divided into 16 sewer
districts, six on St. Thomas, eight on St. Croix and two on St. John.
Also included in our plan was a feasible practical, and approved method
of financing the entire project, including the use of available federal
funds.
"This detailed Water Restoration Master Plan was presented in
detail orally and in written form to various officials in the Virgin
Islands government this past February.
"I want you, the officials and the people of the Virgin Islands,
to know that as a local firm experienced and knowledgeable in the prob-
lem of water pollution in these islands, we are ready, able and willing
to give of our experience and ideas in helping to provide a solution.
"Mr. Chairman, if it would be helpful, we would be delighted
to make a full detailed presentation of our Water Restoration Master
Plan to you and members of your staff.
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"Now, if you have any questions, my staff and I, including
Dr. Harding, will attempt to provide some answers."
MR. TRAINA: Thank you very much. As I understand it, the report
and information contained in your statement is part of a report of
Reynolds, Smith & Hills?
MR. MORAN: They are consulting engineers and worked with us in
conjunction with this Water Restoration Master Plan. X have a copy
of the report here.
Also, since the time that that report was printed, there have
been certain amendments to it that can be easily included, especially
in the financing area.
MR. TRAINA: For the record, are you going to submit this report?
MR. MORAN: Yes, I will give you a copy of it, and I will give you
a copy of the updated one also, if you would like to have it.
MR. TRAINA: Fine. I have no specific questions -- perhaps one.
In the plan you presented, what information was provided in terms of
additional water supply for the island?
MR, MORAN: I am going to ask -- where is Dr. Harding? He was
instrumental in putting this thing together, so I think he ought to
be up here.
DR. HARDING: As of this summer, there will be, hopefully, nearly
five million gallons of desalting per day of desalting capacity. We
have proposed -- and I think it is entirely feasible -- that this amount,
plus the rain-water catch that is practiced on the island, we believe
would be probably adequate for the next two or three years.
This, then would give -- would permit the adequate development of
sewage distillation procedures and equipment. We think that sewage
distillation, or the use of sewage or desalting equipment, is probably
the most feasible means of producing palatable water in the Virgin
Islands in the next 20 years.
There are some technological problems associated with that, such
as the handling of ammonia and volatile organic compounds. There are
also problems associated with the selection of the most appropriate
distillation procedures and the necessary building materials for the
plants.
This, in substance, is the way we think this wpuld be the most
promising for development of adequate water supplies in that sewage would
be collected in the urban areas, distillation plants would be there, and
water would be reused.
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There are several plants now which are either in operation or are
in planning stages which are multiple-function plants. The oceanside
incinerator, for example, on Long Island uses roughage as feed material
for sea-water distillation.
They desalt on Long Island right, now. This is sea water. An
immense sewage treatment plant is now under consideration in New York
City, which would use roughage to generate steam.
This would be sold for building heating in southern Manhattan.
The makeup water for this sewage plant would be sewage effluent. All
roughage disposal is, let's say, by land fill or surface disposal tech-
niques .
DR. ANDUZE." Dr. Harding, can you tell me of any engineering
firm or any community that desalinates sewage at the present time --
DR HARDING: No, sir, none to my knowledge.
DR ANDUZE: -- and renders a good effluent without desalinating it?
DR HARDING: I was answering you in the terms of thermal dis-
tillation of sewage effluent, and there are none to my knowledge.
DR ANDUZE: Is this mainly a part of this desalination project?
In other words, would you have to go to the desalination process be-
fore you can reuse this water?
DR. HARDING: There is a well-documented case, and I believe it
was in Kansas, during an intense drought in which a community took
surface water from a river -- I could get you a reference on this --
and they recycled their sewage -- they recycled their sewage and
treated it and used it for drinking water for several months.
DR. ANDUZE: Isn't there some difference between lake river and
sea water, as far as the chemical content?
DR. HARDING: A very significant difference.
DR. ANDUZE: So would it be easier to reuse and treat lake water
than salt water?
DR HARDING: That's right. What we are talking about is if you
adopted this procedure, it might be possible to eliminate salt-water
flushing --
DR. ANDUZE: In other words, you would recommend to the government
of the Virgin Islands that they discontinue salt-water flushing?
DR. HAJRDING: Not until an adequate water supply is available.
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DR. ANDUZE; 'Then you would recommend;, as I understand it, an
expandion of desalination process through the Virgin Islands --
DR. HARDING: Yes, sir.
DR. ANDUZE: -- and the use of potable water for both drinking
and flushing as a means of firmly settling this problem of thermal
pollution? Is that right? You're not touching the industrial waste
problem?
DR. HARDING: No, sir.
DR. ANDUZE: You feel that the industrial waste problem would
be taken care of by the industries concerned?
DR. HARDING: Yes.
DR. ANDUZE: Pretreatment?
DR. HARDING: Yes. It may be desirable, Dr. Anduze, considering
the location of the industry in St. Croix, to consider combining dis-
posal of outfall -- we now have an outfall under way in south Florida
in itfhich six communities have pooled together and done this.
DR. ANDUZE: Regarding this question of outfall, when you mention
outfall, what treatment process do you take into consideration before
this is dumped into the water?
DR HARDING; Primary treatment and chlorination.
DR. ANDUZE: Primary treatment consisting of water chemicals --
DR. HARDING: It consists of settling without the addition of
chemicals and chlorination of the liquid affluent.
MR. TRAINA; Thank, you very much. Doctor.
DR. HARDING: Thank you, sir.
MR, TRAINA: I understand Mr. Blake has arrived. Mr. Blake, do
you have a statement for us? Our correspondence indicates that you
did wish to present something.
Mr. Blake is director of the Virgin Islands Planning Board.
MR. THOMAS R. BLAKE: Mr. Chairman, Dr. Anduze, ladies and gentle-
men: My name is Thomas R. Blake, planning director of the Virgin Is-
lands Planning Board.
Mr. Chairman, I would prefer to forward to you a written statement
later. I believe your invitation?said that I would have 15 days after
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this meeting to submit a written statement.
My reason for not being more prepared, in the past week, I, my-
self, have had to prepare testimony for several important matters here
in the Virgin Islands, and we closed out a hearing before a committee
of this legislature last night on historic preservation legislation,
which, in a way, is somewhat related to the preservation and conser-
vation effort we are trying to defend here, or take the position on,
this morning.
I suspect that many people who will testify today will emphasize
the pollution problems that are very obvious to us, resulting from the
discharge of raw sewage into the coastal areas.
I believe that the Department of Interior is cognizant of the
effort that the Virgin Islands government is making to reduce this
problem and, hopefully, to completely eliminate it by beginning to
implement a sewage collection and treatment system on all three islands.
Therefore, my remarks are going to be with regard to at least
three other areas which I think are significant and probably not highly
noticeable by very many people, but which also contribute to the loss
of quality or the diminution of quality of our coastal waters.
My work in the Virgin Islands Planning Board is having to approve
the subdivision of land. And islands, such as these, that are hilly,
with the coastal areas being shallow -- that is, not extensive in depth
before we reach the base of the hills -- has resulted, over the years,
in serious erosion problems.
Now, you may wonder how does this affect the quality of the water,
since the erosion is taking place on the hills. But many of you pass
along Veterans Drive after a shower like this, and you will find that
the water right along the coast is at least disturbing to look at, and
certainly in the areas where there are bathing beaches, it is not de-
sirable to bathe in.
Fortunately, the staff of the different agencies are constantly
trying to keep up with the day-to-day problems to try to stay on top
of the problems, or alongside of the problems; and we have not had the
opportunity to be able to conduct the kind of research that is needed
to give guidance to the developer himself; nor is the developer con^ .
cerned about these problems, because all he is interested in is making
the fast buck.
I suggest that the kind of assistance that the federal government
might be able to give the government of the Virgin Islands may come from
agencies, departments, such as the Department of Interior, the Department
of the Army or the Corps of Engineers -- it may come from HUD, or it may
come from the Department of Agriculture.
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I recall about a year and a half ago the Corps of Engineers came to
St. Thomas and St. Croix to take testimony on the water -- the soil ero-
sion problems in the Virgin Islands.
To the best of my knowledge, this has not been pursued. To the best
of my knowledge, there has been no result, and the problem continues to
exist and our coastal waters continue to be polluted.
I attended a one-week-long seminar in Washington, D. C., sponsored
by the Housing and Urban Development Department and the Department of
Agriculture, which was concerned with soils in suburbia, and there seems
to be a concern on the part of the federal government today to be able
to preserve the elements that all make up our environment.
Another problem with which I am very familiar, because of my respon-
sibility for examining places for dredging permits in the Virgin Islands,
is that of pollution during the time of the dredging operation.
Now, let me explain to you what happens. Under the Submerged Land
Act, the sand removed from the coastal area is the property of the United
States government.
Perjnits to remove this material are obtained from the Department
of the Interior and the Corps of Engineers. However, the application to
do such work, to perform such work, is made to the government of the
Virgin Islands, who sends the applications for review to the Director
of the Planning Board and to the assistant commissioner of commerce for
harbors.
In years past, the Office of Territories in the Department of
Interior has raised several questions as to whether or not there is a
disturbing or deleterious effect of these dredging operations to coastal
areas that are concerned whether or not the dredging operation destroys
marine life.
The questions raised were being put back to the local government to
agencies which had the support for reviewing these applications.
Gentlemen, the Virgin Islands Planning Board is responsbile for
long-range planning. It is responsible for administering the zoning
and subdivision law.
It advises the government, and it has a limited staff. It is made
up of people of architects, engineers, planners, sociologists, econo-
mists; but none of them, at the moment, are oceanographers.
Another problem which results from dredging operations is a disposal
of spoil material. In most instances, the dredging operator is seeking
commercial sand for the construction industry, but in other times, he is
interested in either filling a marsh or inland pond or salt-water pond to
create additional land area.
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We know, in many instances, this minimizes the mosquito problem, and
therefore is beneficial. At the same time, many of these areas to be
filled are in areas known as wet lands or salt marshes behind mangroves
in areas where there are coconut tress and farms, and immediately you can
see the effect of the spoil on the vegetation.
I suggest that again the Department of Interior can give us assis-
tance in this effort, and it is possible that the moneys derived, even
though they are minimal, from the dredging operations -- I think the fee
is something like ten cents a yard -- could be returned to the govern-
ment of the Virgin Islands specifically earmarked for the purpose of
research to determine what can be done about these things, because obvi-
ously, the construction boom is going to continue and the fine aggregate
is going to be needed.
Because we are an economy which relies very heavily on tourism, and
because our population is increasing, it is certainly to our benefit,
from the public health standpoint, to eliminate the mosquito, and at the
same time, we would like to preserve some of our natural beauty.
So again, I say I am pointing out the problems that everyone notices
every day, and trying to suggest areas in which we might have some assis-
tance.
The other areas which I would like to speak about has been mentioned
by a previous speaker, and that has to do with roughage disposal.
Traditionally, we have disposed of refuse in the Virgin Islands in
swampy areas near the coast line to create land fills, but eventually,
the areas behind the mangroves become filled and we begin to push out
beyond that, and you're only pushing refuse out further into the water,
and the loose pieces begin to drift around, and with the currents here,
they may start off on the north side of the island, west side of the
island, anywhere on the island, and end up in our bathing areas.
Again, I suggest there are certainly more efficient systems of dis-
posing of refuse today. Continued research is being conducted on being
able to dispose of refuse in a much more satisfactory manner.
I say again that my testimony is directly concerned with seeking the
ways, the kinds of assistance the federal government can assist a small
community in answering some of the problems they are faced with every day.
I will submit a much longer written testimony covering all aspects
of this to you, but I want to emphasize these points particularly for
the benefit of the audience who may not begin to see these things every
day of the week,
MR. TRAINA: Thank you, Mr. Blake, for a very good statement. I was
most interested in your comments concerning dredging. At the other meet-
ings, this has come up over and over again, and especially in regard to
estuarine management.
-------
At the federal level, our agency, the FWPCA, does review for the
Corps of Engineers all applications for dredging. At the territorial
level, do you participate with others, say, the water pollution control
agency of the Island government here, in a review of this to determine
the water pollution control aspect of such projects?
MR. BLAKE: In most instances I try to confer with Mr. Francois.
Again, I say that it is not that we do not have a few people around who
recognize the problem but the truth of the matter is, because of our
other responsibilities, these things only get superficial attention.
This is where I think the research assistance is needed to be able
to set some guidelines for us to follow.
MR. TRAINA: This is coming to our attention more and more as we
conduct these meetings. Does your Board also review private dredging
permits, industrial dredging permits, sand and gravel operations, the
entire gamut of dredging?
MR. BLAKE: Yes.
DR. ANDUZE: Do you know of any incident where a dredging operation
has temporarily displaced animal life, that this animal life did return
after two or three years of dredging?
MR. BLAKE: I don't think I am qualified to answer that question,
Dr. Anduze.
DR. ANDUZE: But you are aware of dredging?
MR. BLAKE: Yes.
DR. ANDUZE: And no one has ever reported to your office, two or
three years after this dredging operation, that the animal life which
was temporarily dislocated returned?
MR. BLAKE: We have had comments to this effect, but, again, the
comments you receive seem to be subjective, with no basis and fact.
There has been some concern recently of some proposal in the mangrove
lagoon of St. Thomas, and the local government has gone to considerable
time and effort to begin to survey the possibility of what would hap-
pen to marine life in that area.
At the moment, we don't have all of the results, but, I say again,
I have not seen any of this. I know in the dredging operation that con-
tinues on an annual basis, primarily in St. Croix in the Christiansted
Harbor where commercial operators have five-year permits for dredging for
commercial sand, I don't know whether there was any fish life behind the
reef to any extend, but if there was, there certainly isn't any more.
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DR. ANDUZE: Since we are, in a way, sailing an uncharted sea, do
you know if the government of the Virgin Islands has embarked on any
research activity at the local level?
MR. BLAKE: The only work that I know of with regard to coastal
waters on the effects of dredging is one ad hoc study by the Marine
Biology Institute of Miami.
They studied two specific areas on St. Thomas, the Water Bay out in
the east end and Brewer's Beach near Harry S. Truman Airport sometime
last year.
For example, the government intended to dredge material from an
area and deposit the spoil to create a new public beach on property
that is controlled by the College of the Virgin Islands.
So we wanted some information about this. No case was given, in
those reports, that there would be any effect on the marine life by
those dredging operations,
DR. ANDUZE: But there has been some reserach effort on the part of
the local government?
MR. BLAKE: One ad hoc study.
DR. ANDUZE: One?
MR. BLAKE: One.
MR. FRANCOIS: Last May, with the help of the Federal Water Pollu-
tion Control Administration, we were able to receive the services of two
marine biologists who did a study of -- not a complete study, but a short
study -- of the south shores of St. Croix, and they found for about 14
miles of coast line past the Harvey-Hess area that most of the marine
life in that area had been killed by silt.
MR. TRAINA: Thank you. We will be looking forward to any other
information which you would like to submit.
I understand Mr. Garfield has left. He is representing the American
Institute of Architects. He has left a statement which will be put into
the record.
Is Dr. Edward L. Towle here? Evidently he is not.
I understand Mr. John Erickson is here, Mr. Erickson is representing
the Residents and Property Owners' Association of St. John.
MR# JOHN B ERICKSON: Mr. Chairman, Dr. Anduze, ladies and gentle-
men: My name is John Erickson. I speak for the Residents and Property
Owners' Association of St. John.
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I am no expert on pollution of estuarine waters. I am certain, how-
ever, that almost any industrial building in a coastal area alters the
balance of nature and results in some pollution.
The real issue, therefore, is whether a new St. Thomas super jetport
is necessary to the well-being of the Virgin Islands, worthy of risking
just a little water pollution.
The prime argument in favor of a new jetport is, "We can't stop
progress."
The Virgin Islands have been expanding economically at the rate of
35 per cent annually for the past 12 years. Is this not progress? Any-
where else in the world, it would be phenomenal, if not inflationary.
Is a greater rate of progress desirable? Yes, if progress means
better schools, housing, hsopitals, roads -- plus cleaner beaches and
return of the lobster and fish to our waters.
But if progress means more pollution, less fish, more traffic, and
less service, it becomes questionable.
If one does not believe sheer numbers of people can hasten destruc-
tion of natural resources, look at the National Park Gamp on St. John.
Thousands on thousands come to the camp each year.
Park officials are worried about erosion of the Cinnamon Bay Beach,
The tramp of feet 24 hours a day does not prevent erosion. More and more
trees are cut down to provide more camp sites and roads for automobiles
up to the camp sites.
Campers no longer walk. Park rangers are so busy policing and paper
working camp problems they have limited time for protecting natural
resources, designing trails, studying the water world, landscaping park
grounds.
In truth, more and more visitors to the camp are less and less
interested in the beauty of St. John than in having a low-cost resort,
subsidized by the federal government, from which they can move out to
where the action is.
Let us look for a moment at who would benefit from the impact of a
100-million-dollar airport on St. Thomas.
First would be alien workers, for thousands of aliens would be
imported to do the construction work. Incidentally, the term "alien",
although used by the U. S. government, is almost offensive.
Aliens are good workers, hard workers; but more aliens -- already
oner third of the Virgin Islands labor force -- means extra expenditures
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for housing, welfare, health, education -- to be paid for by the govern-
ment, not an airport authority.
So the alien worker problem must be faced, unless the administration
plans to reduce the ratio of one government worker for every two voters
and release some Public Works Department employees for work with construc-
tion contractors.
The extra costs involved almost surely mean higher real property
taxes. Income taxes are tied to federal rates. Exdise taxes cannot go
up much for fear of pricing the Islands' luxury goods out of the tourist
market.
If local citizens want to pay increased property taxes to pay for
the airport, that is their privilege; but they should know it is a prob-
able consequence.
Secondly, of course, there is the business complex. Shops, banks,
contractors, real estate promoters think they will benefit. Perhaps they
will. Perhaps, too, the caliber of tourists coming to the Islands will
change.
This is already happening at Cinnamon Bay Camp. Low-spending trip-
pers are replacing discriminating campers. Businessmen may end up with
higher gross sales and lower net profits.
As for the average Virgin Island citizen, he is already fully
employed -- often more than fully such as the public works employee
who drives a taxi after hours. This average citizen can't work more
than so many hours a week.
I might cite other economic reasons for not building a new jetport
in St. Thomas, but Mr. Isadore Paiewonsky's admirable presentation is on
the record.
In conclusion, I question whether increased dollar growth will bene-
fit the Virgin Islands sufficiently to suffer just a little bit of pol-
lution.
MR. TRAINA: Thank you very much, Mr. Erickson.
At this time, I would like to recognize Mr. Seton H. Thompson, who
is Regional Director, Region Two of the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries.
It's good to have you here.
For a change of pace, I would now like to call on Mrs. Ma'Carry W.
Hull. I understand that you have a statement.
MRS. Ma'CARRY W. HULL: I do not have an affiliation, I am
Ma'Carry W. Hull. I represent Mrs. Lucy Smith of Coral Bay, St. John.
Mrs. Smith is the famous Mrs. Lucy who drives a taxicab and conducts tours.
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She was unable to be here, and because what she had to say
seems to me to be important, I urged her to let me write it down
so I could read it for the record.
It reads as follows;
"People come to St. John because it is so beautiful and
so peaceful. There aren't many places yeu find in any other part
of the world so beautiful.
"That is the reason why we really want to keep St. John
and the Virgin Islands clean and not spoil the beauty of the islands.
"Five years ago, Cruz Bay Harbor was so clean you could
see the bottom and all the fish,, et cetera, Now when you see the
bottom, there are cans and broken bottles, and you can scarely
see any fish.
"On*, reason is so many boats have faulty motors. There
is oil waste. When there are more, and more people, there will
be more and more boats and more and more mess,,
"The dump is ugly to look at* The burning and wet trash
fill the lagoon with dirt,, The smoke pollutes the air. It is
unpleasant for the folks who live here, but they donlt study it
as much as the folks who come to visit.
"We have so much nows and we surely would like for them
to see that we care for our little island. But we can't do it
alone. There must be a way for everyone to understand how impor-
tant it is to take care of what God gives us."
MR. TRAINAs Thank you.
DR. ANDUZE: Can you think of anywhere where the government
of the Virgin Islands can prevent people coming to St. John who
have a legitimate, interest?
MRS. HULL: I don' t; think this is really what Mrs. Lucy had
in mind. I just want --
DR. ANDUZE: I just wanted to get a clear viewpoint of the
local government. When you mentioned beer cans thrown into the
water -- is there any connection between the pollution of beer
cans in the water and fish and animal life?
MRS. HULL; I. would presume so. I'm not an authority.
DR. ANDUZE: I just don't want a layman to get the impression
that beer cans deposited into the water, even though, from an
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aesthetic viewpoint3 it's not desirable, would in itself destroy
the animal life.
MRS. HULL: I would presume that the chemicals, the breaking
down of waste materials, would not be good for animal life.
DR. ANDUZE: But what about ships that sink in the sea that
become a haven for fish?
MRS. HULL: I really can't answer that. I'm speaking only
for Mrs. Lucy, who is a concerned citizen.
DR. ANDUZE; Well, citizens are concerned -- there are people
who live on an island which is remote, and perhaps that is why
they are trying to get to the moon to get away from the cluttering
of earth, but on the other hand, we have to come up with some
practical way of coping with things, and I'm trying to find out
from you if you have any answers to problems which Mrs. Lucy
poses there, because we are all sitting here, in concert.
As a representative of the local government3 I certainly
appreciate your coming here and expressing Mrs. Lucy's sentiment,
because quite a number of us share these sentiments.
But having our cake and eating it too has been a problem
confronting mankind from the days of Moses. I mean, man is rest-
less. But how do we contain the restlessness of man and contain
some of the things which have become a custom?
I want to thank you.
MRS. HULL: I think this comes down to a basic matter of
education, not only of children, but of the general public.
MR. TRAIM; Our study is somewhat limited. I don't know
if we can get into all of that. Thank yous Mrs. Hull.
MR. RICHARD B GRIFFIN: My name is Richard Griffin. I am
the harbor master of St. Thomas and work for the local government.
In listening to this discussion, I think I see something that
didn't really come out quite clear. I have been traveling through
the islands for about ten years now, and I have observed as more
and more visitors come to the islands, these people are throwing,
as you mentioned, bear cans overboard.
They are dumping garbage right into each of these little
harbors. I know exactly what you mean. You used to be able to
go to Cruz Bay and the water was clear and you could see the bottom
and it was beautiful.
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But now when you go to Cruz Bay, you see beer cans, soda cans and
garbage that has been thrown overboard. I also know how this happens.
We see each night -- there are about 200 boats operating in these Islands
that are charter boats.
Now, I know that these people don't store their garbage. I know
when they anchor in these bays each nights and when it gets dark and when
nobody can see what they are doing., they throw their garbage overboard.
I was out this past weekend and saw a beach that was littered with
garbage, and there were a lot of boats visiting that particular bay.
Going ashore, I found five or six sacks of garbage that had washed up
on the beach, and this garbage was all from Puerto Rico.
It was fairly obvious. Now, is this what you were getting at?
MRS HULL: I believe this is the kind of thing Mrs. Lucy was trying
to make clear in her own little way.
MR TRAINA: Of course, this is a problem that is not only apropos
here to the Islands, but it is apropos wherever people are. While it
obviously does have an effect on, in our particular cases, the estuaries
and their economic value, I think it was indicated by the young lady
that it is a question probably of education.
Maybe on a person-to-person basis this could be improved on. But
I think this is going to be a problem -- perhaps all the research and
investigation in the world is still not going to prevent anybody from
throwing garbage overboard.
MR. GRIFFIN: I think we are going to have to have some kind of
legislation to take care of this.
DR ANDUZE: Are these charter boat people that visit these
estuaries?
MR. GRIFFIN: Very definitely.
DR ANDUZE: You know, there was testimony given in the meeting
in St. Croix where the charter boat people were not concerned with
their pollution, but they were concerned with the large ships.
In. other words, these are two sources of pollution, the large
commercial liner in the harbor plus the charter boat. You feel the
charter boat people are also guilty of some type of pollution of the
estuaries, is that your testimony?
MR, GRIFFIN: Very definitely.
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DR. ANDUZE: And do you feel there is a need for legislation
to control pollution caused by charter boats?
MR. GRIFFIN: Yes, although we do have an old law against
this sort of thing. It's just a matter of how do you catch one
of them. You will never actually see somebody throwing something
overboard, but in the morning, you will find it all over the bottom
of where people are.
Take Caneel Bay. You know how many people snorkel there.
It's a beautiful place. But now you will see the place littered.
DR. ANDUZE: Do you know if the litter law applies to estua-
rine areas?
MR. GRIFFIN: No, sir, I don't know whether it does or not.
But we do have a harbor regulation which applies to all the harbors
that forbids you to throw things like this overboard.
DR. ANDUZE: But littering does not apply?
MR. GRIFFIN: I don't know whether it does or not.
MR. TRAINA: Thank you, again.
We next have Mr. Henri Blanc, who is the manager of the
Virgin Isle Hilton.
MR. HENRI P. BLANC: Good morning. I am the manager of the
Virgin Isle Hilton. I am not an engineer or a septic tank autho-
rity or anything like that, but just a consumer.
Dr. Anduze and I discussed this matter several weeks ago,
and he felt it would be to the good concern of everyone if I
represented the tourist industry who probably use the largest
amount of fresh water here in the islands.
May we go off the record just a moment?
(Discussion off the record.)
MR. BLANC: The Virgin Isle Hilton is the largest single hotel
between Puerto Rico and Trinidad. We have 211 rooms. We use three
types of water basically.
We use ocean water in our flush system,and also we have the
only salt-water pool in the island. This naturally saves a lot of
water and gives us an advantage, we feel, because the salt-water
pool has a lot of attractive uses.
We use rain water. We have a 100,000-gallon cistern, and we
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catch rain water. We have no figure available as to how much
rain water we catch or how much water we take out of the cistern,
because it is not metered going in or going out.
But naturally, as you understand, a 100,000-gallon cistern
is not very much, so we, therefore, use desalinated water or city
water to top off the cistern and to take care of our requirements.
In 1967, the monthly average was 1,600,000 gallons, which cost
us approximately $3200. The highest month was last July, when we
used 2,250,000 gallons, for a cost of $4500.
The total for the year was 19,200,000 gallons of city water,
which we purchased at a cost of $38,600. Last year, just the water
we were able to meter and what we bought from the government, we
averaged -- the average guest required 250 gallons a day to be
served by our hotel.
Now, these services are very many, and I will list them as
follows: First of all is personal use. I won't have to go too
much further into that.
Secondly, hotel washing, dishwashing, glass washing, mopping,
scrubbing of kitchen area, mopping of all the floors, and washing
of windows, et cetera, in the hotel.
Third, laundry. We have our self-contained laundry, and we
do all of our laundry, plus uniforms, plus guests' laundry.
Watering of gardens and lobby plants. When the rainfall is
not sufficient, we have to water these plants, because we have
expensive plants that must be watered with fresh water.
We also have plants inside which do not receive rain water
and must be watered constantly.
We use steam -- live steam -- for cooking and cleaning.
Therefore, we have a certain need of fresh water which we make into
steam which we utilize for this purpose.
The sixth use of water for us is in our chilled water air-
conditioning system, which naturally requires replenishment.
So these figures of millions of gallons of water are used for
all of these six purposes. And as I said, each guest requires 250
gallons among all these different sources.
This is basically all I have, and I am happy to answer any
questions.
MR. TRAINA: One of the real essential pieces of information
we would like to get in these meetings is the economical value of
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estuaries.
Now, as a person representing a group here that really
participates in economic value, do you have any idea in terms of
this island or based on some other criteria, what the economic value
of having an area like this available for tourism is?
MR. BLANC: To the government, you mean?
MR. TRAINA: To the community, the private sector, the public
sector.
MR BLANC: Tourism is the single largest industry in the
Virgin Islands and the single largest employer, after the govern-
ment, and with the source of clean water, which is necessary in
order to have tourism, this industry exists.
I don't know if I am answering your question, but what I'm
pointing out basically is we need a good supply of clean drinking
water for use of our guests.
As you can see from the figures here, this is based on 1967.
Someone mentioned about the size of the island in the next five
years, ten years and 20 years, which will naturally mean that these
tourist industries will be swelled by that proportionate amount,
which will mean that the water, the clean water, that we have
available for our use, fresh water for drinking -- water is going
to become a real problem.
Now, if the desalination plant gets its water from the harbor
and from the ocean around us, and this water is soiled or unusable
for transferring -- as I say, I am not an engineer.
I don't know if you can use this water or not, but as a
layman, the further a water source is polluted, the harder you
have to work to correct it or the more it is going to cost you
to extract clean water out of it.
MR. TRAINER: Are there any public figures available on the
dollar amount of tourism brought into the islands?
MR. BLANC: Well, these figures can be obtained from the
Department of Commerce. I don't have those figures, but I could
get them for you.
MR. TRAINA: Again, Mr. Blanc, thank you very much.
I understand Dr. Edward Towle has arrived. Dr. Towle is the
director of the Caribbean Research Institute.
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DR. EDWARD L. TOWLE: It is my intention to file a written
statement at a later date.
MR. TRAINA: I might add, the record is open for 15 days.
DR. TOWLE: My remarks this morning will be very brief and
directed to simply stressing one or two very significant points
that I can do in a very short time.
The Caribbean Research Institute in a rather quiet way -- and
I am a relatively new director of it, coming from the Smithsonian
and from working in water pollution in the Great Lakes area -- has
worked for about three years, since its establishment, in the
general field of conservation.
In our work, we have had a thread running through our re-
search projects which touches directly on the question of water
quality. We have worked in sponsoring conservation conferences
with the cooperation of the American Conservation Association,
one aspect of which has been concern over water quality and another
aspect of which has been concern over the cost and the methodo-
logy of water production in water-short islands, as most of the
Caribbean islands are.
My remarks this morning consist first of stressing my plea-
sure in a sense in finding the Department of Interior moving in
the direction of assisting the islands, and this is part of a
larger general research program in doing the kind of in-depth
study that you have to have done before really sophisticated
planning and integrated planning can take place.
Now, these hearings, I hope, will bring out from all. members
all segments of the community a point which you made just a
moment ago. That is, we need to demonstrate we must demonstrate--
that there is an economic need, that there is an economic density
in a relationship between present growth rates and availability of
what we call acceptable water.
Now, water that is acceptable to one industry, or one person,
is not acceptable to another. You were mentioning a moment ago
that the desalination process removes, in effect, by virtue of
its heat, all contaminants.
This is quite true, and I concur. But at the same time, it
changes the nature of some of the water that is put back, and we
have something that, in other circles, we call thermal pollution.
It's a temperature increase in discharge which, in turn,
affects the biological life, and we really don't know how much
from the desalination plant itself.
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My concern -- one of the concerns of the Institute has been
with the question of stabilizing the quality of the beach areas,
which is a combination of terrestrial problems and aquatic problems,
and this is related to waste disposal, and it's related to a study
of, and knowledge of, offshore or onshore currents which are affect-
ed by all kinds of things about which, in this case, in the islands
we know very little about.
I have a lot of friends engaged in the study of Chesapeake Bay,
and the Institute has a study that is being done In this estuary, and
the complexity of the study and the volume, that is, the total expendi-
ture, the number of participants -- you stand aghast at it when you
look at the simplicity' ofv£h£ kind of thing that is gping on,here.
It is true it is a greater density population focusing around
the Chesapeake Bay, but when you deal with land areas, and you
look at a smaller area, you suddenly realize that an island is a
very special area, because you don't have vast inner land that
you can escape to.
You don't have great areas in which you can subdivide where
you very quickly run out of things, one of which is water. You
don't have great watersheds that you can dam, or alter or manage
in a way that will give you good clean water.
Now, I think I'll leave you with this point, and that is that
at the Institute, in the first place, there has not been at this
point a broad enough research program.
We have, in effect, failed in that we have not generated,
even in our own Institute, a sufficiently broad program of re-
search that would give us some of the basis that we ought to have.
We are now going to go about a systematic attempt to gua-
rantee that next year, and a year from then, and a decade later,
that the hotels on these islands, and the people that live on these
islands year around, and the people who use the islands, as yachts-
men, as swimmers, industries who use the islands, that they will
all find an acceptable volume, quality and cost structure for this
very primary and very basic input of water.
I think I will leave the rest of it for my written report.
MR. TRAINA: Thank you. Dr. Towle, if you don't mind, I have
some questions. Could you describe briefly the nature of the
Institute -- where it gets its support?
DR. TOWLE: The Institute is a two-year college which is pre-
sently engaged in becomming a four-year institution. It is in
effect, but not legally, a land-grant college that is supported
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primarily by the Virgin Islands Legislature with considerable in-
put from federal sources, various federal programs like Title III
and various educational programs.
The Institute itself is set up entirely on a self-funding
project basis in that when we confront a problem, my job and the
job of the Institute is to find a researcher and find a source
of funds and put these two together.
MR. TRAINA: Is the Institute equipped to look into the
economic values or
DR. TOWLE: The Institute is designed to carry on research
in both the natural sciences and the social sciences. My own
field is in the social sciences, and happens to be in the history
of science.
But we have done work in the field of vocational rehabilita-
tion, , in questions of the significance of submerged land and land
fill in the Virgin Islands.
A list of publications of the Institute is available and I
would be glad to send one to anybody that would like to have one.
MR* TRAINA: If you have such a list of publications, I
would like to include it in the record.
DR. TOWLE: I have a copy with me, if anybody wants one.
DR. ANDUZE: Did I understand you to say, Doctor, that the
use of this water that has been desalinated affects the estuarine
streams?
DR. TOWLE: It is the effluent or the cooling water.
DR. ANDUZE: In other words, rain water that is used in the
hotels for the Virgin Islands for washing dishes becomes effluent
and ends up in the ocean and the sea here and affects the animal
life in one way, but the desalinated water affects it in another
way?
DR. TOWLE: You misunderstood me, or else I didn't make myself
clear. I am referring to water that the plant itself uses as a
cooling medium which it discharges back Into the sea.
It is the same situation with an air-conditioned plant, with
any thermal electric power plant.
DR. ANDUZE: Too hot water in the immediate vicinity of the
plant?
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DRo TOWLE; let's say the temperature is 77, and you discharge
it at 78 or even 88. Ten degrees difference can change the biolo-
gical character quite a bit.
DR ANDUZE: In other words, the waste water goes out three,
four or five miles and possible affects the animal life?
DR. TOWLE: It is ridiculous to think that such a change could
affect a swimmer or a yachtsman. This is very critical in areas
where the city is transected by a river, because the usual process
of industry and thermal power plants is to effectively contribute
to a significant increase by each adding a little bit.
In the case of our desalination plant, it's a relatively minor
contribution to the total amount of water available.
DR. ANDUZE: It is not an unmixed blessing.
DR. TOWLE: Nothing is.
MR. TRAINA: Thank you.
Mr. John Holter has indicated that he would like to make a
statement. Mr. Holter is representing himself.
MR. JOHN W. HOLTER: Mr. Chairman, Dr. Anduze, ladies and
gentlemen: It is a great pleasure to be here. I am not an expert
in any of these things, but I still have a fairly decent sense of
smell and sight.
I believe that clean drinking water and clean swimming
water are very much related in many more ways than some people
think on casual observation.
I think that perhaps the land silt washoff from rain water
that does go down to the sea should be investigated a little bit
further perhaps on further water catching devices.
They are not an aesthetic thing, but I think it is an import-
ant part of retaining water that is much more easily converted to
drinking water than salt.
The fact of this silt -- it is quite obvious that silt does
affect the close-shore marine life. The coral and the snailfish
that we all love to see are seriously affected by this.
Another point that strikes me on all of this is the human
element of throwing trash anywhere, I think that the people that
come visit these beautiful islands are not particularly impressed
with the roadside trash that is allowed t:o persist.
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I do not believe that this is a natural thing. X think it can be
legislated out, and when they see this rather disturbing appearance on
most of our access routes to all the islands, the spirit of trying to
continue keeping the the waterways clear is also affected by this.
In other words, if they can throw the trash along the road and no
one seems to bother -- well, you can put all the signs you want up, but
this doesn't seem to solve the problem.
I don't know how many police are required to regulate this, but if
the penalty were severe enough, perhaps we could do something about this.
I definitely feel there should be more trash collection points -- bas-
kets on the docks where all the boats could deposit their trash, and
that all commercial and charter and pleasure boats required to have trash
containers on their boats.
I think if they actually had them, they would use them. I have a boat
of my own, and I refuse to let anybody throw anything overboard because
of the container on the boat.
If.I didn't have it, I know what would happen. It's so much easier
to toss it over the side when no one is looking. It's just a human ele-
ment. I think if it is easy for them to collect the trash wherever it
may be, on the highways as well as on the boats, that all will collectively
help clear up some of this situation.
As far as the sewage disposal business, I don't know anything about
this sort of thing. In Cruz Bay, there is a little artificial bay there
between the Park Service and the administrator's office there that is in
a pretty despicable condition.
I think, if nothing else, at least a line, a plastic pipe out to
the deeper water where the current could carry this away -- it's not an
answer to the problem, but for the moment, it would help. Thank you
very much.
MR. TRAINA: Thank you, Mr. Hotter. This completes the list I have.
At this time, I would like to ask anyone else who hasn't been asked
if they would like to make a statement. «
Dr. Anduze, would you like to make a statement?
DR. ANDUZE: No. I have nothing else, except to say that on behalf
of the governor of tne Virgin Islanas -- I know the governor would want
me to thank all the people who testified and would want me to thank the
Department of Interior for manifesting the in-depth interest that it has
during the past few years.
I think it should be clearly borne in mind that the government of
the Virgin Islands is excited in depth to the preservation of not only a
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good water supply, but to the policing of the bays and streams.
I think the College of the Virgin Islands is one example of what is
being done in order to encourage research. I think the Virgin Islands
has placed an important part in the desalination of water.
Other than that, I have nothing more to say. The position of the
government is available to anyone that may want a copy of it. I don't
intend to stand up and read five pages, but I would like for your to know
that your government is very much interested and very concerned, and we
welcome your partnership and interest that the Department of Interior has
taken in this matter.
MR. TRAINA: Again, I would like to mention that the transcript will
be printed, and each of you registered will get a copy of it.
I also want to mention again that the record will be held open for
15 days to allow any of you or anyone else who would wish to submit any-
thing they would like to.
On my behalf, on Mr. Thoman's behalf, I again want to thank you for
coming. We appreciate the hospitality and the encouragement we have
received here. We look forward to being back here again.
I know we can look forward to working both with Dr. Anduze and
Mr. Francois in this program and in other programs. Thank you for
coming.
The meeting is adjourned.
(Whereupon the meeting adjourned at 11:56 o'clock a.m.)
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NEPS Public Meeting
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
List of Registrants
Dr. Aubrey A. Anduze
Governor's Representative for
St. Croix
LaGrande Princess, Box 694
Christiansted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Dr. Roy A. Anduze
Commissioner of Health
Virgin Islands Department of
Health
Charlotte Amalle
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. Anthony J. Ayer
Frederiksted Civic Association
P. 0. Box 754, Frederikstad
St, Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. Dominick Be11one1
W. G. Amnion Corporation
175 Cotton Valley
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. A. Donald Brlea
The Daily News and
The Associated Press
Christiansted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. Harold V. Clum
Virgin Islanda Extension Sarvlet
P. 0. Box 166, Klngshlll
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. Kenneth A. Cooper
Virgin Islands Department of
Health
P. 0. Box 371, Chrlatlanatad
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. Pedrito Francois, Director
Bureau of Environmental Sanitation
Virgin Islands Department of
Health
Charlotte Amalie
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. Bryant Henderson
Administrative Assistant
Virgin Islands Department of
Public Works
P. 0. Box 667, Christiansted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. Andrew L. Lang, Sr.
Virgin Islands Department of
Health
L.B.J. Garden, Apt. P-2
Christiansted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. Jean D. Larsan
Larjas Ltd,
Batate Mon Bijou
P. 0. Box 44, Klngshlll
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. Louis L. Lorillard
St. Croix Chamber of Coanarca
36 A,A. Strand Streat
Christianstad
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. Bradford Marshall
U. S. Public Haalth Service
Orange Grova, Christiansted
St, Croix, Virgin Islands
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Mr. Euan P, McFarlane
Fountain Valley Corporation
P. 0. Box 1366, Frederiksted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
! Mr. John W. Moore
Assistant Commissioner
Virgin Islands Department of
Public Works
P. 0. Box 14, Christiansted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. W. Lee Morris
St. Croix Diving Association &
Fairleigh-Dickinson University
P. 0. Box 513, Christiansted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. Edgar Mullgrau
Virgin Islands Association of
Architects, Engineers, & Land
Surveyors
P. 0. Box 155, Frederiksted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
v Mr. Richard Newick
Sea Rovers, Inc.
P. 0. Box 159, Christiansted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. Freddie Nicholson
Virgin Islands Department of
Health
P. 0. Box 163, Christiansted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mrs. Diana Nielsen
Turquoise Bay, Inc.
Turquoise Bay
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. Thurben Rasmussen
Virgin Islands Department of
Health
Frederiksted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. Charles A. Rehben
Ha' Penny Bag Beach Club
P. 0. Box 985, Christiansted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. Raymond 0. Ross
Virgin Islands Department of
Health
P. 0. Box 774, Frederiksted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. Rudolph Shulterbrandt
Acting Commissioner
Department of Agriculture &
Recreation
P. 0. Box 97, Frederiksted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. James Sleznick, Jr.
Management Assistant
National Park Service
P. 0. Box 160, Christiansted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. Stanley B. Stolz
Assistant Director
Bureau of Environmental Sanitation
Virgin Islands Department of
Health
Christiansted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Mr. R. S. Sunderlin
Harvey Alumina
P. 0. Box 165, Kingshill
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
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Mr. Fenris A, Thomas
St. Croix Lion's Club
21-B Queen Street
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
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NEPS Public Meeting
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
List of Registrants
Mr. Matt Allen
United Press International
P. 0. Box 2447
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. Walter G. Ammon
W. G. Ammon Corporation
74 Main Street
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. Dominick Bellonei
W. G. Ammon Corporation
74 Main Street
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. Thomas R. Blake
Planning Director
Virgin Islands Planning Board
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
/ Mr. Henri P. Blanc
x Virgin Isle Hilton
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. Joe Brown, Superintendent
Virgin Islands National Parks
National Park Service
P. 0. Box 1707
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. Frank A. Butrico
Battelle Memorial Institute
1755 Massachusetts Avenue, N,W.
Washington, D. C.
Mr. Edward R. Buzsell
Virgin Islands Department of
Health
11-D General Gade
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. David Chinnery
Virgin Islands Department of
Health
39 Prindcesse Gade
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. Titus C. Codeington
Virgin Islands Department of
Health
50-B Ross Estate
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. Ricardo Cotte
Bureau of Sport Fisheries &
Wildlife
G.P.O. Box 3708
San Juan, Puerto Rico
The Honorable Augustin Doward
Virgin Island Senate
Christiansted
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
/ Mr. John B. Erickson
Residents and Property Owners'
Association of St. John
Cruz Bay.
St. John, Virgin Islands
Mr. Howard Farber
Home Journal
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mrs. Edith L. Feiner
American Orchid'Sod iety
Pv 0.: Box 1202
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
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-2-
Mrs. Gloria K. Francois
Mental Health Association and
St. Thomas Women's League
P. 0. Box 539
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. John R. Garfield, A,I,A.
Virgin Islands Association of
Architects, Engineers, & Land
Surveyors
P. 0. Box 375
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mrs. Helen Gjessing
College of the Virgin Islands
P. 0. Box 1844
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. Oeveste Granducci
The Associated Press and
Newsweek
P. 0. Box 1473
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. Richard B. Griffin
Harbormaster
P. 0. Box 36
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. C. I. Harding
Reynolds, Smith & Hills
4019 Boulevard Center Drive
Jacksonville, Florida
Mr. John M. Hennessy
The Daily News
P. 0. Box 1761
Charlotte Amalie
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. John W. Holter
Cruz Bay
St. John, Virgin Islands
Mrs. Ma' Carry W. Hull
(Representing Mrs. Lucy Smith
of Coral Bay, St. John)
Cruz Bay
St. John, Virgin Islands
Mr. Henrique Matthias
Virgin Islands Department of
Health
72 Contant
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. Edward J. Moran
W. G. Aramon Corporation
74 Main Street
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. Earle B. Nelthroff
Administrator of St. John
St. John, Virgin Islands
Mr. Freddie Nicholson
Virgin Islands Department of
Health
P. 0. Box 163
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. Allan Renz
W. G. Ammon Corporation
74 Main Street
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. David Sweet
Battelle Memorial Institute
505 King Avenue
Columbus, Ohio
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3
Mr. Henry Thomas
Virgin Islands Department of
Health
Cruz Bay
St. John, Virgin Islands
Mr. Seton H. Thompson
Regional Director, Region 2
Bureau of Commercial Fisheries
U. S. Department of the Interior
St. Petersburg, Florida
Dr. E. L. Towle, Director
Caribbean Research Institute
College of the Virgin Islands
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Mr. Honor Tranum
American Orchid Society
1 Magen's Bay Road
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
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Department of the Army-
Jacksonville District, Corps of Engineers
Federal Building, P. 0. Box 1*970
Jacksonville, Florida 32201
Telephone 90b 791-2011
SURVEY OF ILLEGAL DEPOSITS IN NAVIGABLE WATERS
PUERTO RICO AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE U. S. A.
This survey has been conducted in accordance with instructions
from the Chief, Operations Division, in letter, same subject, dated
21 March 1967
The sources contacted for information are: Industrial Research
Division of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Economic Development
Administration; Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico; Environmental Sanitation, Water Pollution Control Division,
Department of Health, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and the Commissioner
of Public Works, Utilities and Sanitation Division; Bureau of Envi-
ronmental Sanitation, Department of Health of the U. S. Virgin Islands
Government. Copies of all reports furnished this office have been
previously furnished F.W.P.C.A. regional office.
The Federal Navigation Projects in Puerto Rico and the Virgin
Islands, which have been the subject of new work or maintenance
dredging operations are San Juan, Ponce, Mayaguez, and Arecibo Harbors
in Puerto Rico, and Christiansted Harbor, St. Croix, V. I. Other
Federal projects are Guayanes and Fajardo Harbors in Puerto Rico, and
St. Thomas Harbor in the Virgin Islands.
Industrial Plants
SAN JUAN HARBOR
Almost all the industrial plants considered in this survey are
located in the vicinity of Bahia de Puerto Nuevo, San Juan Harbor,
in the southern part of the harbor. These industrial plants are:
P. R. Water Resources Steam Power Plant, the Porto Rico Cement Co.,
Inc., Puerto Rico Glass Corporation, P. R., Puerto Rico Container Co.,
Ltd., Molinos de Puerto Rico, Inc., Trigo Master Mix, Inc., Rice
Growers Association of California (P.R.), Inc., and Empacadora del
Caribe. These industrial establishments were visited and/or requested
to submit a questionnaire with information on which to base our
findings. The above-mentioned industries are what may be classed
as dry plants, their discharge into navigable waters consisting of run-
off water and sewage discharge for a rough estimate of 1000 persons.
The sewage for all these installations is disposed of in Puerto Nuevo
Bay after going through septic tanks. Of the above industrial plants
the Puerto Rico Glass Corporation is the exception to the rule.
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The Puerto Rico Glass Corporation is presently engaged in the
manufacture of glass containers, with an annual production of 51,000
tons or 1,081+,000 gross, and with an estimated waterborne waste of
50,000 g.p.d. A 30-inch drain discharges into a canal. The dis-
tance from the plant to the harbor is approximately one mile. The
type of suspended solids are compounds of calcium, magnesium, silica,
chromium, iron, and some organic matter from sand washing.
The Caribbean Gulf Refining Corporation discharges waste into the
Malaria Control Channel, which in turn sends it into Bahia de San Juan,
Bay View, Catano.
The following data is furnished in relation to this establishment:
a. Name of installation and ownership.
Caribbean Gulf Refining Corporation owned by
Gulf Oil Corporation.
b. Products.
Motor gasoline, kerosene, diesel oil, LPG, and fuel oils.
c. Annual production.
13 million barrels petroleum products,
d. Number and size of sewers, drains, ditches, flumes, or other
means of discharging waste into Malaria Control Channel.
One U8" diameter concrete pipe discharges water from refinery
settling pond into open ditch that continues for approximately
2,300 feet to Malaria Control Channel.
e. Other methods of waste disposal.
Sanitary wastes are discharged into Municipal sewer system.
f. Estimated daily volume of waterborne wastes or process water.
500,000 gallons.
g. Distance from sewers to nearest improved navigation channel.
Approximately 2-1/2 miles.
h. Probable type of suspended solids.
Finely dispersed dirt and silica-alumina catalyst particles.
i. Probably associated constituents.
Carbonates and sulfates of sodium in solution.
2
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The Bacardi Corporation is located near Punta Palo Seco bordering
with Rio de Bayamon, Bahia de San Juan and State Highway no. 165. It
is dedicated exclusively to the fermentation, distillation, aging and
bottling of rum.
This year they are distilling some 6,500,000 P. G. of rum. Fermen-
tation of the molasses necessary for the production and other industrial
activities produces approximately 200,000 gallons of industrial slop
every working day, which are estimated at 200 working days per year.
The 6-inch slop line was constructed under permit SAKSP Pints (83-67),
and discharges approximately 100' bayward into Ensenada Boca Vieja.
The slop does have a solid content of 8 to 9% which the Corporation
claims to be soluble salts. It is my understanding that the effluent
from a rum distillery contains 1% dead yeast, etc. and a large amount
of activated carbon which gives it its black ink appearance.
In accordance with Pollution Survey of the San Juan Bay, FY 1965-66,
prepared by the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority for the Common-
wealth of P. R., Environmental Sanitation, Water Pollution Control Div-
ision, Department of Health, the San Juan Harbor receives 21.!+ m.g.d. of
primary treated sewage from their Puerto Nuevo Sewage Treatment Plant,
which serves about 70% of the metropolitan area of San Juan. During
1965 the effluent had an average B.O.D. of 121 mg/1 for an efficiency of
35% with suspended solid removal of 66%. See attached San Juan Quadrangle
for location of 72" outfall line.
Other sources of pollution mentioned in the report are:
a. Raw sewage discharge from Old San Juan.
b. Partially treated (septic tanks) domestic sewage from U. S.
Naval Station.
c. Waste discharge from ships at anchorage and small vessels at
the Club Nautico.
The 1963-61+ report mentions the fact that a high organic load is
being discharged into the harbor at the mouth of the Martin Pena Channel,
and that it is the area in the harbor with lowest dissolved oxygen satura-
tion value. The water in this channel is highly contaminated from the
storm and sewer collecting culvert at Stop 20, the Corona Brewing Co.,
and the slums all along the banks of this channel. Quoting from the report:
"The worst point in the bay in terms of sanitary significance is that near
the mouth of the Martin Pena Channel. This is caused by high pollution
reaching the bay through this point and the formation of sludge banks
exerting benthal demand."
As a matter of general information, all maintenance dredging of the
Martin Pena Channel, in the past, has been done by private interest.
3
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PONCE HARBOR
The city of Ponce is the second largest city in Puerto Rico and
it has two light industrial establishments located in the immediate
vicinity of the harbor, which were investigated as possible contri-
buting factors to the shoaling of the harbor:
1. national Packing Co., Playa de Ponce (Division of Ralston Purina
Co. of St. Louis, Missouri).
a. Products
Canned Tuna (Chicken of the Sea and Van Camp Sea Food)
b. Annual Production
37,000 tons raw fish
c. Number and size of sewers or drains discharging to navigable
waters:
1 - 6" and 1 - 30" line
d. Estimated volume of waterborne wastes or process water.
City water 1,083,000 gal. daily. Well water 1,050,000 gal for
a period of 5 hours daily, 5 days a week.
e. Number of employees.
Average 800
f. Distance from plant to Ponce bulkhead.
300 feet.
g. Bulk of waste is hauled to city dump.
h. Probable type of suspended solids.
Blood, scales, small pieces of tuna
i. Probable constituents.
Pish blood and detergent used in clean-up operations.
2. Ponce Tanning Corp.
a. The name of installation is: Ponce Tanning Corp.
It is an affiliate of Loenwengart and Co., Inc. of New York City.
b. Products manufactured: Tanned leather
c. Annual production: 7 to 8 million square feet of leather are
tanned per year.
4
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d. Number and size of sewer or drains discharging into waters:
Two 8-inch culverts
e. Estimated daily volume of waterborne waste consisting of
clean-up water and process water: Approximately TO
thousand gallons.
f. Distance of sewerage nearest improved navigation channels:
1/2 mile
g. Method of waste disposal: Solid waste is trucked to the city
dumps.
h. Probable type of suspended solids: animal matter
i. Probable associated constituents: Lime, approximately U5
pounds per day discharged.
j. Department of the Army permits in force for structures used
for disposal of waterborne waste:
None
Sewerage System
The city of Ponce at present dumps all its raw sewage into the
harbor by sewer outfalls 30" and 27", known as Los Pampanos and De
Hostos, and are shown in Playa de Ponce and Punta Cuchara quadrangles
attached. These outfalls do not have Department of the Army Permits.
The following is quoted from an undated report entitled Sanitary
Survey of the Ponce Bay (1961?), by the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority:
"The sewage is discharged to the ocean without any treatment and
with very little dilution. The wind prevailing during the day
blows from the ocean, carrying the organic solids to the shore and
rendering the place a real nuisance. So, it is obvious the need
for a better and more efficient method of disposal. A flow of
1.296 million gallons during 16 hours was registered at the Pam-
panos system and 1.907 million gallons for the Hostos Avenue
collecting system for the same time interval.
"Being 17,000 the number of residences served, and assuming five
persons per residence, a total of 1+.25 mgs. will result if 50
gallons of waste water per person is used. This is very close to
the value of U.0U3 mgd. found from flow measurements. The measured
flow between the 0600 and 1600 hours was of 0.885 mgd. for the
Pampanos and 1.2UU for the Hostos Avenue system giving a total of
2.129 mgs. for both."
5
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In accordance with a written communication received from the Director
of Engineering, P. R. Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, a sewage treatment
plant is under construction for the city of Ponce at Los Meros. Its lo-
cation is about one mile west of Los Papanos 30-inch sewer outfall.
MAYAOUEZ HARBOR
The city of Mayaguez is the third largest city in Puerto Rico. Three
canning plants were investigated as probable sources of illegal deposits.
The plants are located adjacent to each other fronting the harbor. Their
30-inch outfall discharges into the ocean, approximately 1,600 ft. west
of the Mayaguez harbor shipping terminal. The litoral drift along the
shoreline is from west to east.
The following is information relative to the referenced plants obtained
as a result of a visit and questionnaire submitted to them:
1. Star-Kist Caribe, Inc.
a. Name of installation and ownership.
(1) Star-Kist Caribe, Inc.
(2) Star-Kist Foods, Inc. - Terminal Island, California
b. Products
(1) Canned Tuna Fish
(2) Canned Tuna Cat Food
(3) Fish Meal
(U) Fish Oil
c. Annual Production
30,000 tons raw fish
d. Number and size of sewers or drains discharging to navigable
waters.
(1) Front Drain - Starts at 18" diameter and discharges at
30" diameter.
(2) Rear Drain - Starts at 18" diameter, continues to 2H",
and discharges at a 30" diameter.
The 30" diameter drain is a common drain for Star-Kist,
Del Monte, Tbec and Integrated Industries.
e. Estimated daily volume of waterborne wastes or process water.
(l) Front Drain - The entire discharge in this drain is salt
water obtained from the ocean and from a deep well located
close to the ocean.
6
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(a) Compressor cooling water. This is clean water
used for compressor cooling only. This water goes
once through the condenser and is discharged back
to the ocean. Approximately 1,000,000 gallons
are used daily - 7 days per week.
(b) Fish thawing water - This is salt water used to
thaw fish and then discharged to the ocean. An
average daily usage for 5 days/week would be
approximately 75,000 gallons. The actual daily
usage can vary from 0 - 150,000 gallons daily
depending on whether the fish is received thawed
or frozen. This discharged water from thawing
would contain a small amount of fish blood.
(2) Rear Drain.
(a) Retort Cooling - This is fresh clean water used
only to cool the cans after retorting. An aver-
age of 350,000 gallons of retort cooling water
will be discharged daily - 5 days/week.
(b) Packing room, Reduction plant, and Fish room clean
up water. Approximately 150,000 gallons will be
used daily - 5 days per week. Clean up water will
contain some blood, small fish particles and deter-
gents .
(c) Sewage disposal - All toilets, wash basins and showe: ;
discharge through a grinder and then to a cavitator
sewage treatment plant, After treatment it then dis
charges into the rear drain. Approximately H,000
gallons per working day are discharged from the cavi-
tator to the rear drain.
f. The sewer discharge is approximately 3,750 feet from the main
steamer channel to the Mayaguez pier.
g. Method of waste disposal.
Wastes discharging into the ocean are reduced to a minimum.
All fish solid material not used for canning is utilized in
the production of fish meal. The process liquids which are
high in protein such as cooler water and stickwater are pumped
to Integrated Industries and are used to make a liquid cattle
food. A weir is installed in the main rear drain to stop any
fish pieces or other material from going to the ocean. All
waste material from the rest rooms is processed through a
cavitator type sewage disposal system.
h. Probable type of suspended solid.
Small pieces of fish.
7
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i. Probable associated constituents.
Fish blood, detergents used in clean up.
J. Department of the Army permits in force for structures
used for disposal of waterborne waste.
Unknown.
2. Del Monte de Puerto Rico, Inc.
a. Name of installation and ownership.
Del Monte de Puerto Rico, Inc.
Subsidiary of California Packing Corp.
b. Products & Annual Production.
Tuna 1,000,000 cases
Pet Food 200,000 "
Tomato Sauce 300,000 "
Fruit nectars and juices 100,000 "
Fish Meal 1,200 tons
Fish Oil 35,000 gal.
d. Number and size of sewers or drains discharging to navigable
waters.
One 30" Plant outfall
One 6" Sanitary line
e. Estimated daily volume of wastes or process water.
Salt Water - 900,000 gal.
Fresh Water - 200,000 gal.
f. Distance from sewers to nearest improved navigation channel.
Outfalls at pier front which is some 1,000 yards from
charted navigation channel.
g. Method of waste disposal.
Cannery water untreated
Sanitary water - partial treatment.
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h. Probable type of suspended solids.
Small fish particles and occasionally tomato seeds.
i. Probable associated constituents.
Fish blood and detergents.
j. Department of Army permits in force for structures used for
disposal of waterborne waste.
None
3. IBEC Packing Company, Inc.
a. Name of installation and ownership,
Ibec Packing Company, Inc.
b. Products
Tuna canning
c. Annual Production
Approximately 12,000 tons processed per year.
d. Number and size of sewers or drains discharging to navigable
waters.
Two drains discharging to navigable waters: one U" drain
and one 10" drain from plant.
e. Estimated daily volume of waterborne wastes or process water.
Approximately 200,000 gals, of process water daily.
f. Distance from sewers to nearest improved navigation channel.
Sea outlet is about 150 ft. from channel.
g. Method of waste disposal.
Waste disposal is accomplished by reduction plant where waste
is converted to fish meal.
h. Probable type of suspended solids.
There are no suspended solids entering drains unless you
consider fish blood from the butchering operation which
is washed down during cleanup.
9
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i. Probable associated constituents.
Same as above.
j. Department of the Army permits in force for structures used
for disposal of waterborne waste.
A permit has been granted by the Army for the construction
of a dock on the Mayaguez waterfront.
During my visit to Mayaguez I was advised by Ports Authority personnel
stationed at the Mayaguez harbor shipping terminal that at times there had
been considerable waste from the Del Monte tomato source plant disposed
into the harbor; also, that the fishing schooners were in the habit of
discharging clean out water and waste from the ship which creates a nuisance
in the harbor. Del Monte of P. R.'s reply to this was that a month ago
a plant malfunctioning caused the complaint; also that their boats were
forbidden from pumping bilges or discharging garbage at their pier.
It is estimated that between 50 to 60,000 tons of raw fish are pro-
cessed yearly in the Mayaguez canneries. In my opinion their waterborne
waste containing particles of blood, small pieces of tuna, scales, and
tomato seeds will eventually settle within the Mayaguez harbor Federal
project.
The i960 urban population of Mayaguez was 56,887 with their contri-
buting sewage discharging into the harbor by means of a U8-inch diameter
submarine line 926.59 meters long completed in 1961. (See Mayaguez
quadrangle attached.)
During the year 195*+ the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority made a series
of field investigations and observations in order to determine the
optimum location or point of no return of solids from a submarine sewage
line. The result of the study by Authority's consultant engineer indi-
cated that the line should extend bayward 1,050 lineal meters and that it
should be constructed where it now exists. Soft sea bottom precluded
carrying out the project as designed and the line was shortened to its
existing length. The installation of the line was completed on 28 October
1961.
In 1963 the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority performed a sanitary survey
of Mayaguez Bay. The conclusions of reference report follow:
1 - Mayaguez bay waters are highly polluted by the discharge of
industrial and domestic wastes. This bay is at present one
of the most polluted in Puerto Rico.
2 - Although the extension of the sewer outfall has helped to reduce
the contamination of the bay waters, there is evidence that still
the sewage discharges are a major contributor to the pollution of
the bay.
10
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3 - The extension of the sewer outfall eliminated the presence of
sewage solids on the shore, but the dispersion of the bacter-
iological fraction is apparently not enough to assure good
quality bay waters.
k - The pollution of the bay has increased in certain areas due to
the discharge of raw wastes by newly established industries.
5 - The Yaguez river is the major contributor of pollution to
Mayaguez bay.
6 - Lack of circulation of rivers and streams emptying into the
bay results in unsanitary conditions and health hazards.
7 - Pollution contributed by the sewage from the city of Mayaguez
can be reduced by the extension of the submarine outfall to
about 1,100 meters from the shoreline, as originally planned
by the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority.
8 - Local business and individual homes located near the shore-
line are also contributors to the pollution of the bay waters.
9 - Water pollution ordinances should be enforced to reduce the
pollution of the bay waters.
ARECIBO BAY
Arecibo Bay is ^0 miles by water west of San Juan. The bay has an
open shape and is exposed to strong marine currents and heavy seas.
The present population of Arecibo has been estimated at 65,000.
The only industry located within the bay is the Puerto Rico Distilling
Co. Its location is at the westerly end of the city of Arecibo and
2 1/2 miles west of the Arecibo harbor, which is a man-made harbor near
the mouth of Rio Grande de Arecibo. Fermentation of the molasses nec-
essary for the production of industrial alcohol, rum, and pineapple
wine produces 80,000 gal. of slop per day, which eventually finds its
way into the city sanitary sewer system. 1,728,000 gallons of water per
day are used for the factory cooling process which is also disposed in
the same way as the slop. The typical distillery wastes are yeast, P0^,
SiO^, CaCO^, S0^, Gyp, HC1.
The Cambalache Sugar Mill and the Puerto Rico International Paper
Company Limited are located within 2 miles from the Arecibo Harbor proper.
Their point of discharge into Rio de Arecibo is approximately 1 1/2 miles
from the harbor.
The city of Arecibo does not have a sewage treatment plant. All raw
sewage is disposed into the bay by means of a 2^-inch and two 21-inch
outfalls, as shown in Arecibo Quadrangle attached. Of the three outfalls
only the 2U-ineh line has a Department of the Army permit.
11
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GUANICA BAY
The following is an excerpt from a pollution survey of Guanica Bay
"by the Division of Environmental Sanitation, Commonwealth of P. R.
Department of Health:
The town of Guanica (population 13,767, census of i960) is located
north of the bay, its southern section extending to the waterfront.
There are three factories bordering the bay; The Caribe Nitrogen
Corporation, South Puerto Rico Sugar Co., and Ochoa Fertilizer Co.
The discharge of wastes from the above-mentioned factories, especially
the Caribe Nitrogen Co,, has been the cause of frequent complaints from
the residents of Guanica, mainly from the people living near the factory
and fisherman from the area. Both the gaseous and the liquid wastes have
been the cause of these complaints.
The following sources of pollution were located during the survey:
1. Caribe Nitrogen Corporation
This factory was established by January, 1957, southeast of the
city of Guanica and at the eastern end of the bay. The manufacturing pro-
cesses include the production of ammonium anhydride, sulfuric acid and
ammonium sulfate.
Solid and liquid wastes are discharged directly to the bay thru a
ditch. This discharge is continuous and represents the largest volume of
wastes discharged into the bay.
Occasional discharges are also made through two pipes, one of which
can be seen near the main discharge and the other submerged below the
pumps that provide sea water to the factory.
2. Sugar Mill
This factory owned by the South Puerto Rico Sugar Co. was not in
operation at the time of the survey. The effect of the industrial wastes
on the bay could not therefore be determined. Nevertheless, a small dis-
charge was located near Station #1, where the main discharge occurs when
the mill is in operation. Discharges from septic tanks were also observed
near Station #7.
3. Ochoa Fertilizer Co.
This factory uses ammonia bought from the Caribe Nitrogen Cor-
poration for the manufacture of fertilizers. It has no discharge of
liquid wastes into the bay.
U. Public Sewage Treatment Plant
12
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According to records kept by the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority its
efficiency is Q0% in the removal of B.O.D. and 85$ in suspended solids.
Other Sewage Discharges. A considerable number of private dwellings
and restaurants are not yet connected to the public sewer system. Their
domestic wastes discharge either directly to the bay or through a ditch that
carries storm water and originates at the northern part of the city.
The biggest contributor to the pollution of Guanica Bay is the
Caribe Nitrogen Corporation. In all samples taken from its main discharge
a considerable quantity of black particulate matter was observed. This
carbonaceous residue, product of the incomplete combustion of the petroleum
used as fuel, rapidly settles to the bottom of the bay imparting to the
bay waters near the discharge a black and filthy appearance.
VIRGIN ISLANDS
During the course of my investigations I visited the office of the Com-
missioner of Public Works of St. Thomas and discussed the subject of this
survey with Mr. James W. Huston, Commissioner of Public Works, and his
assistant, in charge of Utilities and Sanitation for the Virgin Islands,
Mr. Rudolph B. Galiber.
The population of St. Thomas and St. Croix is 23,050 and 19,060, respec-
tively, with 85% of the population of St. Thomas concentrated in the port
city of Charlotte Amalie. The town has a collection intersecting sewage
system and lift stations with an 18-inch outfall in Crown Bay. No sewage
treatment facilities exist. In the opinion of the Commissioner of Public
Works the Haulober Cut serves as a vacuum and carries away all the raw sewage
out to the ocean through West Cregerie Channel. A significant source of
pollution of the harbor are the tourist ships (310 in 1965) and all deep
draft vessels visiting the harbor (9^2 in 19&5).
The only industry in St. Thomas with waterborne waste disposal is the
West Indies Distillers, information on which follows:
a. Name of installation and ownership.
West Indies Distillers
b. Products
Rum - Pott Rum
c. Annual production
UOO.OOO proof gallons/year (l60 days)
d. Number and size of sewers or drains discharging to navigable waters.
One, 22-inch
13
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e. Estimated daily volume of waterborne wastes por process water.
31+0,000 gal/day - 160 days/year
f. Distance from sewers to nearest improved navigation channel.
300'
g. Method of waste disposal
Raw disposal - 30,000 ppm BOD
h. Probable type of suspended solids
Yeast, P0^, Si02, CaCO-^, SO^, Gypsum, H^SO^, HC1 (typical distillery
waste)
i. Probable associated constituents.
See above
j. Department of the Army permits in force for structures used for
disposal of waterborne waste.
None
In St. Croix the same system of sewage disposal exists in the towns of
Christiansted and Frederiksted as in St. Thomas; that is, sewage is collected
and disposed raw into the oceanin Christiansted through a 10 inch line
which extends beyond Long Reef (SAJSP Pmts. 59-222), and in Frederiksted the
sewage generated within the area is discharged into the Caribbean Sea through
two 10-inch outfalls. This office has record of the Department of the Army
Permit issued for only the Market St. Sewer Outfall (P.R. 238a).
In St. Croix there is a light industry named Diamond Distillery, Inc.,
which is located about 6,000 ft. west of the Alexander Hamilton Airport run-
way. This distillery discharges its effluent into the dry gut that goes
through Enfield Green and eventually to the Caribbean Sea. These guts are
normally dry and it is presumed that during heavy rains some of the slop is
carried out to the ocean.
In connection with the other harbors of Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands
information received from the Puerto Rico Development Administration is
that there are no industries established near them except the Commonwealth
Oil Refining Company, in Guayanilla Bay, Union Carbide Caribe, Inc., in
Tallaboa Bay, and Phillips Puerto Rico Core, Inc., in Guayama, which is
under construction and is building its own harbor in the vicinity of Jobos
Harbor.
In St. Croix we have town heavy industries, which are the Harvey Alumina
and the Hess Oil Company, which also have under construction their own
harbor facilities. No permits have been issued to any of these heavy in-
dustries or to others established in Puerto Rico for the disposal of their
waterborne waste.
Ik
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Dr. J. G. Sandza, Consultant of Industrial Research Division of the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Economic Development Administration is perform-
ing a survey of industrial plants along the coast and rivers of the Island.
Dr. Sandza has agreed to incorporate a questionnaire similar to the one
prepared "by this office to obtain certain information from the local tuna
fish industry. Copies of Dr. Sandza's report will be furnished your office
upon completion.
a. In the opinion of the writer there are no significant amounts of
illegal deposits from industrial complexes in Puerto Rico and the Virgin
Islands of the United States of America, which may affect the navigable
capacity of Federal navigable waters.
b. The pollution of all the Federally authorized harbors in Puerto
Rico is extremely high.
CONCLUSIONS
Incls
(under sep/cover)
L. C. MENDEZ
Area Engineer, San Juan Area
7 June 1967
Quadrangles:
San Juan
Playa de Ponce
Punta Cuchara
Mayaguez
Arecibo
15
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Statement on Pollution Problems, Virgin Islands
Introduction
Since its establishment in 1965, the Caribbean Research
Institute*, as a segment of the College of the Virgin Islands,
has devoted a significant portion of Its resources and energies
to various aspects of conservation problems 1n the Virgin Islands
and in the eastern Caribbean. From the Caneel Bay conference
on Caribbean Conservation, jointly sponsored by the American
Conservation Association and the Institute, to a study of
Barbados beaches, to studies in hydro-climatology, to a monograph
on conservation progress in the eastern Caribbean which will
appear this month, the Institute has consistently sought to
develop 1n-depth studies which would contribute to a comprehen-
sive program of environmental management, pollution control and
resource conservation. It is, therefore, encouraging to find
the Department of the Interior conducting these hearings on the
optimum use and future development of estuarlne and coastal re-
sources of the Virgin Islands. My statement will consist
largely of suggestions for research programs, for administrative
modification, and for educational activities designed specifically
to improve the levels of official competence and public awareness
1n matters relating to the protection, management, and development
of the natural resources of the Virgin Islands.
II.
Present and previous contract research projects relating
to hydro-climatology, commercial and sports fishing, lagoon and
reef ecology, and submerged lands have all Involved direct
Involvement with aspects of fresh and saline water conditions
in the Virgin Islands. In each specific instance, basic data
on water conditions, such as currents, sediment, trace elements,
seasonal volumetric variations, pollutants, and temperature
variations, was generally not available and ad hoc localized
analysis proved necessary. Similarly, the bTotlc communlty present
in various bays, lagoons, salt ponds, and littoral areas remains
a relatively unstudied problem. What we lack, 1n effect, are the
normal bench marks from which we can determine and measure change.
Ill.
Specific areas of research which warrant immediate attention
include the following scientific studies.
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A. Chemical analysis of seawater 1n Inter-tidal areas using
selected stations, periodic sampling and simultaneous micro-
current and biotic community studies. Sampling and analysis would
include tests for turbidity, hydro-carbons, detergents, pesticides,
sewage, trace metals, chloride 1on concentration, pH, and total
conductance.
B. Salt pond/lagoon ecology and hydraulics.
1. Especially with reference to possible use as
sewage lagoons (see HUD publication 302/2/1, January
1966 "Sewage Lagoons in Developing Countries").
2. Sanitary engineering aspects of using
saline rather than fresh water In sewage lagoons.
C. Waste disposal methods, especially dumping and its Impact
on adjacent beach areas and biota.
D. Detailed study of the movements of the water prism from
shoreline to continental shelf (or 100 fathom curve).
E. Harbor circulation and flushing problems in Charlotte Amalle,
Jersey Bay, Cruz Bay, Magens Bay, and Coral Bay.
F. Engineering study of the Gerard-Worzel water production pro-
posal .
G. Desalination plants and thermal pollution of 1nter-t1dal
areas and semi-enclosed bays, using Krum and Lindbergh Bays as
comparative case studies.
IV.
Specific socio-economic studies should be undertaken to
exami ne:
A. Economic significance of yachting to the Virgin Islands.
B. Political history of the Virgin Islands experiment 1n desalination.
C. Recreational use of water 1n the U.S. Virgin Islands (resident
and visitor).
D. Beach sand removal and replacement and its overall impact to
shoreline stability.
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V.
The Institute views with approval the present efforts of
the Government of the Virgin Islands to develop a more professional
and more centralized and more effective program of conservation.
Presumably a joint program of pollution abatement and anti-
pollution legislation would ensue. But equivalent and simultaneous
efforts at basic and applied water resources research relating
to water, both saline and fresh, as they relate tothe total
island ecosystem should receive particular attention.
VI.
Educational programs in natural resources management, con-
servation methods, and pollution abatement procedures should be
implemented at the college level. Parallel educational efforts
should be developed for the elementary and secondary school levels
and broadly conceived programs of public education, designed to
increase citizen awareness and perception of the essential as-
pects of conservation, pollution abatement and resource management,
should be devised and scheduled in the community
Dr. Edward L. Towle
Director
Caribbean Research Institute
College of the Virgin Islands
* The Caribbean Research Institute, a division of the College
of the Virgin Islands, was established to encourage research and
its related activities for the Caribbean area and to provide a
central research agency in the U.S. Virgin Islands, focussing on
both the natural and social sciences as well as the humanities.
Funded by private foundations, the Federal and local Virgin Islands
governments, and the College of the Virgin Islands, the Institute
has sponsored projects In the fields of Caribbean conservation,
vocational rehabilitation, fisheries biology, insular ecology,
urban planning, geography, and economic development.
May 2, 1968
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STATEMENT OF JOHN A. HAKMS
POLLUTION OF .VATER IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS
(In relation to marinas, pleasure boating,
and sport fishing.)
I certainly do not believe that operations of thae nature,
present any threat to our local waters, as they may in some
areas of the United States. The Virgin Islands are mountain
peaks rising out of two oceans and with considerable currents
around them. Most of our bays or estuaries have considerable
circulation of water which causes them to be self cleaning.
I would say that the biggest problem we have with operations
of this type, is trash and debris thrown overboard. All
pleasure boatmen should be educated to use the trash receptacles
in marinas and not throw trash and garbage overboard in anchorage
areas or where it may drift up on the beaches. Also to use
toliet facilities on shore while tied up in marinas.
From observation, fish life usually increases in dockage
areas of small boats or pleasure craft.
It has always been my understanding that industry factories
and unproper treatment of sewage of whole cities has caused us
to become pollution conscience in the United States. I think
that operations of this nature are what we should be the most
concerned about.
L G-ib
x. ¦
.J
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PETER SAMMARTINO
CHANCELLOR
April 8, 1968
Mr. Frank. J. Silva
Chief, Estuarine Studies
U.S. Department of the Interior
Southeast Water Laboratory
Athens, Georgia 30601
Dear Mr. Silva:
I regret that I cannot be present at your meeting in the
Virgin Islands. However, I should like to make the
following statement.
Many people think of the Virgin Islands and of the whole
Caribbean area in terms of vacation. This is all to the
good. However, of greater importance it seems to me
is the value of the Virgin Islands as a place for ocean-
ological advancement. As I said at the dedication of
our Marine Biology Laboratory at St. Croix, the sea is
man's last frontier, and St. Croix is particularly an
outstanding location for the many different projects of
research and to the intelligent use of the sea. As a
matter of fact, I have just returned from California where
the concept was brought forth of establishing at St.
Croix a city in the sea - an underground station beneath
the sea. You already have made some great steps
forward. I believe that St. Croix would be an ideal
place to find out how the sea can serve humanity.
Fairleigh Dickinson University stands ready to help in
whatever way it can toward development in this
direction.
Yours very truly
, \ *«¦ ¦¦ i
Peter Sammartino
Chancellor
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£ nnn%
ST. THOMAS. U. S. V. /.
P. O. BOX 1627
VIRGIN ISLANDS ASSOCIATION OF ARCHITECTS. ENGINEERS e LAND SURVEYORS
Mr* John !U Thooan
Regional Director
United States Departmnt of the Interior
Federal Water Pollution Control Administration
1421 Feachtree Street, N* S«
Atlanta, Ga.
Gantlenent
This Association would like to eetabliah our position on
the problea of pollution! we ere definitely against it.
We have been aware of mny of the problem of pollution
here, perticularly sewage pollution* Our sinutea
record this concern and we have set with Mr* Francois
and reviewed problem and solutions*
Ue understand that large program ere now under way to
cope with problem of our urban areas* He hope theae
aolutions com quickly* The problem in soon ereas,
for instance Long Bay, are getting very aerioua*
Vis would like guide linas'aad technical aesiatenee
and information in order to be able to design properly
for our cliente* Ue auggeat that the Planning Board be
provided with really maningful powers to enforce
proper pollution control design perticulerly around beach
ereas*
The Association is reedy to essist in any way it can*
19 April 1968
Very truly yours,
JIG» rsw
John ft* Garfield, A* 1* A*
Prealdent
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April 19, 1968
VIRGIN ISLANDS BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL
STUDY
NATIONAL ESTUARINE POLLUTION STUDY
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Decades ago, the English Poet, Oliver Goldsmith
drafted a line for one of his better known poems that is
not inappropriate to the intent and purposes of these hearings.
"Ill fears the land," wrote Goldsmith in a mood of pessimism,
"to hastening ills a prey." And as our present mechanized
and urban society spreads with blind destructiveness across
this and other Caribbean islands, the human need for
preserving contact, with open space, natural areas, with
living, wild and growing things, with great forest and ocean
beaches becomes more pervasive, more explicit, and
unfortunately more expensive. As the pressures of people,
roads, refuse, subdivisions increases, the aesthetic
acceptability and liveability of the landscape is in danger.
We are confronted with a rapidly worsening problem
of environmental contamination. Too often we hear the
comment, "it's not my problem" when the sticky question of
responsibility or remedial action is raised. Obviously, a
massive educational effort in conservation procedures is in
order. Water in its numerous forms constitutes a critical
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problem on the entire island. We cannot begin to
manage the environment without a thorough understanding
of the water resources available. Where to plant and what
to plant, where to build, how to dig, where to dredge, how
much to grade, when to plant, each question has part of its
answer rooted in the larger problem of water supply, volume,
quality, location, and cost. For these reasons I would like
to go on record as urging a greatly expanded effort to study,
develop, protect and manage the water resources of the Virgin
Islands. Particularly pertinent, would be the creation of the
Governor's proposed Department of Conservation with broad
regulartory powers and adequate funding. Similarly desirable
would be an expanded funding of independent and in-house
research in hydro-climatology, harbor and littoral pollution,
waste disposal waterfront renewal, beach preservation, erosion
control, insular ecology, experimental agronomy and horticulture.
Specifically, the pollution of the Harbor must be dealt with. I
am aware that plans are underway to change the present sewerage
disposal methods. This cannot be done fast enough.
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We must learn one hard fact and learn it soon!
Environmental management is a specialized skill which
this locality must thoroughly master if we really want
to keep the islands from becoming a cross between an
urban ghetto and a town dump.
As we proceed to develop a Comprehensive Beautification
Plan for the Virgin Islands, it has become increasingly obvious
that as a prerequisite for the success of the plan, is an
equivalent comprehensive understanding and development
plan for the water resources of these islands. Such an approach
is long overdue.
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Master Plan
This master plan for water quality restoration for the Virgin Islands
is broad in scope and is of necessity limited in the detail of presentation
since it is to serve as a planning guide for future development. This plan
was developed from available information and reports, personal field in-
vestigations, conferences with various Virgin Island Governmental Aaencies
responsible for planning, construction, operation, and maintenance of pub-
lic works, power, health and housing facilities, Virgin Island construction
personnel and conferences with Federal officials.
The plan is divided into three phases. Phase I is designed to correct
the most critical water pollution problems which now exist. It is anticipated
that three to seven million dollars of capital expenditures will be required
to handle adequately the most pressing problems in the islands. For budget
purposes, we have selected the figure of five million dollars.
Phase II which will proceed concurrently with Phase I will incorporate
detailed engineering studies to determine where capital savings can be
accomplished by application of the most advanced forms of waste treat-
ment, water reclamation and/or a combination of two or more disposal
functions. Significant economies have been shown to accrue from com-
bining sewage treatment and refuse disposal. With this arrangement, raw
sewage sludge is combined with ground refuse and composted aerobically
to produce a soil conditioner. Other possibilities for combined treatment
are the use of sewage effluent as feed materials for desalting plants; the
use of highly treated sewage effluent in a sanitary flush system such as
that which exists in Charlotte Amalie; the combined disposal of sewage
sludge and refuse by incineration either with or without heat recovery; and
combined disposal of treated domestic sewage and treated industrial waste
through a common ocean outfall. Recent studies have shown that sufficient
heat value may be available in refuse to significantly reduce the fuel
ond/or steam cost associated with distillation of sea water.
The detailed engineering studies in Phase II would also include the
development of optimum designs for interceptors, lift stations and force
mains. The advanced engineering of these designs is a combination of
classical sewer design technology with computers utilized to obtain the
least cost design for any given set of conditions. Thus, designs for any
given component will be made on the basis of the latest available informa-
tion on growth patterns, water, disposal volumes, materials, construction
and energy costs, plus an adequate reserve for anticipated expansion.
The unmatched beauty of the sea water, living reefs and sandy
beaches of the Virgin Islands can be seriously impaired even with treated
sewage and industrial wastes if the outfalls for these liquids are terminated
at the bulkhead or in shallow water. Recent experience in similar waters
on the lower East coast of Florida has shown the necessity for deep water
disposal of sewage effluents to prevent the deterioration of the marine
environment. For this reason, deep water ocean outfalls have been proposed
for ultimate disposal of the effluents from each of the four proposed cen-
tral plants.
Phase III will be the construction program of the facilities designed
during phase II. Phases II and III will overlap extensively since it would
be unwise to attempt to complete the overall system design based wholly
on projected growth patterns. Facilities will be designed and constructed
in an orderly fashion over an eight to ten year period to meet the needs of
the rapidly growing population. The master plan must always contain
enough built-in flexibility to adjust to patterns of growth which vary from
those now predicted.
Upon completion of each construction program, the responsibility for
startup, operation and maintenance of the facilities would be transferred
to the operating division of Resources Development, Incorporated to insure
continuous nuisance-free service to all the citizens being served.
General Approach. Sewage generated in individual homes, businesses
and industries may be disposed of on site via septic tanks or package sewage
treatment plants or may be collected and transported to a central plant for
treatment and disposal. Industry normally pretreats their specific trade
wastes without reliance on municipal facilities.
In the three cities of Charlotte Amalie, Frederiksted and Christiansted,
central sewer systems now exist but the sewage thus collected is not treated
and is discharged raw into the harbors of the three cities. Outside of these
urban areas, most sewage disposal is by septic tank or in recent housing de-
velopments through package sewage treatment plants.
In developing this master plan, natural drainage areas were utilized
as the basis for most sewer district lines. Other considerations in the selec-
tion of the geographic boundaries of districts were population density and
growth potential of each area, terrain characteristics which would either
enhance or limit future development, land use plans prepared by the Virgin
Islands Planning Board and existing and potential industrial development.
On these bases, the three islands have been broken into 16 sewer districts
plus the National Park (which was excluded from consideration) . Maps
which show the boundaries of the districts are shown on the next page.
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Next is presented a general description, by island and district, of the
characteristics of the districts and the rationale used in selecting the level
of service proposed for each.
Following this verbal description, vicinity maps with population densities
and photographs which convey the terrain characteristics are presented in
further support of the sewer district arrangement and type of services pro-
posed. It should be noted that the entire area under the jurisdiction of the
Virgin Islands Government has been considered in this master plan. No
priority list is being presented at this time since selection of priority should
be made only on the basis of detailed discussions with and on recommenda-
tion of the Government officials responsible for providing sanitary services.
St. Croix. St. Croix has been divided into eight basic natural drainage
districts: Central St. Croix, Frederiksted, Oxford, Northside, Salt River, Chris-
tiansted, Northeast and Southeast.
The Central St. Croix District is the area of greatest growth: commer-
cial, industrial, governmental and residential. A sanitary sewer collection
system is proposed which will collect sewage from this district plus intercep-
tors large enough to handle the sewoge from the Frederiksted, Oxford and
Salt River Districts with disposal through a centrol primary sewoge treat-
ment plant. The proposed plant site is east of the airport on government
land next to the present industrial facilities of Harvey Aluminum and Hess
Oil Company. An outfall system for both sewage treatment plant effluent
and industrial waste to deep water south of the off-shore reef is proposed.
The Frederiksted District is one of the more populated districts of St. Croix.
Collection of sewoge is proposed with a pumping station and force main to
convey the sewage to the Central St. Croix District. Frederiksted District will
receive sewage in the future from the Oxford District and pump it to the
Central District.
The Oxford District presently is not populated heavily. However, there
is land suitable for development. As the development progresses, a central
sewoge collection system with pumping station and force main for delivery
of the sewage to the Frederiksted District will be required. Since this sewage
will be pumped twice, an aerated wet well may be required at the Frederik-
sted lift station to prevent any chance of an odor nuisance.
The Northside District is presently lightly developed and likely will re-
main so except for individual homes or commercial tourist development. This
district will be served by individual septic tanks and package sewage treat-
ment units.
The Salt River District is partially developed and shows indication of
vigorous growth. A centrol sewage collection system is proposed for the area
with a pumping station and force main for delivery of the sewage to the Cen-
tral St. Croix District for treatment and disposal.
The Christiansted District is another presently populated area which
will be provided with its own sewage collection and disposal system. Chris-
tiansted District will also treat and dispose of sewage from the Northeast and
Southeast Districts. Complete treatment of the sewage will be provided with
disposal of concentrated waste to deep water over the reef. Reuse of liquid
effluent as feed stock to the desalination plant is a possibility. Treatment
site is located on government land next to the desalination and power plants.
The Northeast and Southeast Districts are at present lightly developed
and probably will remain so for the next ten to fifteen years. Individual
residences will have their own septic tanks and drain fields. Commercial and
tourist developments must be provided with or provide their own sewage
treatment facilities. If municipal service is provided, sewoge will be pumped
to the Christiansted or the Central St. Croix area, depending on the particu-
lar location within the districts.
St. Thomas. St. Thomas has been divided into six basic natural drain-
age districts: Charlotte Amolie, Westend, Bordeaux, Northside, Eastend and
Tutu.
The Charlotte Amalie District is the area in which most of the islands
population, business, tourist industry, and existing sewer systems ore found.
A complete new major interceptor system is necessary along the waterfront.
An outfall line to deep water is proposed in Phase I of the master plan.
Treatment will be provided as required during Phase III. The degree of treat-
ment and possible reuse of the effluent will be given more study during
Phase II of the program to determine the best course to follow.
The Bordeaux District will be developed to medium or limited popula-
tion density. Portions of the area will remain on individual septic tanks while
the larger more densely populated areas will have sewers and treatment in
package sewer treatment plants.
The Northside District will not be heavily populated. The larger club
or tourist hotel complexes should be required to provide their own treatment
through small package sewage treatment plants.
The Eastend District is populated now with isolated developments and
could develop to overall medium density. Sewage collection is planned in
this district with pumping facilities and force mains to convey the sewoge to
the Tutu area for treatment.
The Tutu District is in the process of widespread growth which should
continue until a high population density has been attained. A central col-
lection system will be provided for the area. Treatment through a primary
sewage treatment plant with effluent disposal through an ocean outfall to
deep water is proposed for the combined Eastend and Tutu Districts.
St. John. The island of St. John has been divided into three basic
sewer districts: Cruz Bay, Coral Bay and National Park.
The National Park District covers most of the island land area and is
under the jurisdiction, development and control of the Department of the
Interior. If customary procedures are followed, the Federal Government will
provide sanitary facilties for the Park area.
The Cruz Bay District is the area of present limited development. This
area will be served by a small collection system and central package sewage
treatment plant.
The Coral Boy District, as it develops, will be served by individual sys-
tems, either septic tanks ond drain fields or small package sewer treatment
plants. The selection will depend on the size of each development.
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CARIBBEAN
S E A
Central
Central St. Croix This district encompasses the majority of the flat plains
around the Harvey Aluminum and Hess Oil Plants and includes that area which
has the greatest predicted population growth of the island (26,000 by 1980). It
is to be served by a central treating plant with a combined industrial-municipal
ocean outfall through the reef to deep water. A properly designed outfall will
eliminate pollution to the beaches in this area.
F rederiksted
Frederiktted This district consists of the present populated area of the City of
Frederiksted. Population growth will be moderate (3,400 by 1980). It is to be
served by interceptors and a force main to the central St. Croix treatment plant.
~
FREDERIKSTED
HIGH DtNsrr
DEVELOPING
LOW DENSITY
INTERCEPTOR1"
FORCE MA NI-
TRE AT MEN I iA
SEWER Dlti'-iC
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Oxford
Oxford This district is sparsely settled, however, it has some developable
land. It is to be served by an interceptor to Frederiksted as the area develops.
Northwest
Northwest This district is comprised of the mountainous areas on the North-
west and North portions of the island extending to the present westerly bounda-
ries of the Salt River basis. It is sparsely populated with little forecasting growth
in the near future. It will be served by individual or small package sewage
plants.
SALT
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HIGH DENSITY
DEVELOPING AREAS
LOW DENSITY
INTERCEPTORS
FORCE MAINS
PUMPING STATION
TREATMENT PLANT
SEWER DISTRICT
Salt River
Salt River This district around Salt River Bay has some potential for growth.
It is to be served by an interceptor and force main to the central St. Croix system.
Christiansted
Christiansted ¦ This district comprises the present populated area of the City of
Christiansted. It is to be served by interceptors, force mains and a central treat-
ing plant with ocean outfall to deep water.
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SEWER DISTRICT
Northeast
Northeast This district is mountainous similar to the Northwest area. As in
the case of the Northside area, it will be served by individual or small package
treatment plants.
Southeast
Southeast - This district is sparsely settled and will be served either by package
treatment plants or individual systems. It can also be combined to the central
St. Croix system as the population grows.
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Charlotte Amalie
Charlotte Amalie This district comprises the present City of Charlotte Amalie
and surrounding area and extends west to include the site of the present airport.
A population increase to approximately 28,000 by 1980 is expected. It will be
served by a primary treatment plant and ocean outfall extending from a point of
land between Lindburg Bay and Brewers Bay to deep water.
Wesl End
Westend This district consists of the southwest portion of St. Thomas. It is
sparsely settled with little indication of population growth. Small individual or
package plants will serve this area.
HIGH DENSITY
DEVELOPING AREAS
LOW DENSITY
INTERCEPTORS
TREATMENT PLANT
SEWER DISTRICT
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m
DEVELOPING AREAS
LOW DENSITY
INTERCEPTORS
TREATMENT PLANT
SEWER DISTRICT
Bordeaux
Bordeaux This district borders on Bordeaux Bay. ft is predicted the population
growth of this area will be moderate in the near future. It is to be served by a
small package treatment plant.
Northside
Northcide This district comprises the majority of the island from the Westend
north of Charlotte Amalie to the Tutu and Eastend areas on the east. It is sparsely
settled with little indication of pppulation growth. There may be hotels or motels
located in this area which would be served by small package treatment plants.
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East End
Eastend This district has moderate potential for population growth. Intercep-
tors and a force main to the Mangrove Lagoon treating plant will serve this area.
Tutu
Tutu This district has a large anticipated population growth (34,000 people
by 1980). It is comprised of the majority of the east end of the island. It will be
served by interceptors and a force main to a treatment plant located near the
proposed airport near Mangrove Lagoon. An ocean outfall to deep water will
prevent pollution being carried into Charlotte Amalie harbor.
DEVELOPING
lOW DFN< "I
INTERCEPTORS
FORCE M: N ¦
PUMPING ST A'
TREATMFNT
SEWER
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I'ruz Bay
HIGH DENSITY
LOW DENSITY
SEWER DISTRICT
Cruz Bay The island of St. Johns has been divided into two drainage districts
since the major portion of the island is a national park and under the jurisdic-
tion of the Department of the Interior. The Cruz Bay area will be served by a
package treatment plant.
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Sewage
Treatment Plant
Sites
Charlotte Amalie: Top Left
Site is Government-owned land with
short outfall to deep water and with
favorable ocean currents.
Tutu: Top Right
Site is Government-owned land in
center of a drainage basin. Outfall
will be run on land to minimize the
subaqueous run to deep water.
Central St. Croix: Bottom Left
Site is Government-owned land in
center of population area and ad-
jacent to the industrial area. This wilt
permit joint Governmental and in-
dustrial use of an outfall to deep
water.
Chrlstianited: Bottom Right
Site is Government-owned land next
to existing power and desalination
plants to facilitate possible water re-
use. Deep water may be reached by
a short outfall.
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Mr. Chairman, my name is Anthony Ayer of iVederiksted. I an a Realtor
and have been a resident of St. Croix for approximately 18 years, I am
speaking as First Vice President of the Frederilcsted Civic association and
as a member of the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce.
The variable shoreline of these Virgin Islands can readily be divided
into three categories. ri'he first being rook coastline, sometimes falling
several hundred feet directly into the sea. Over of Jt. Croix's shore-
line falls in this category, and the majority of it is neither accessible
nor readily developable for recreation purposes.
i'he second category could be described as waterfront that can be
developed such as swamps, lagoons, bays, and natural inlets, ij.0^ of our coast
line is in this category. In the coming years, these areas will be
developed to provide the increased recreational and residential needs of our
island, m some instances the extremely high cost of drainage, dredgin3,
blasting or bulkheading will slow down the inevitable but only temporarily.
i'he third category consists of our natural and artificial harbors and
beaches that already exist. This last group constitutes less than 20,j
of the existing shoreline but in terms of use by population, over of all
water-oriented activities, whether recreation, oommerce, or industry takes
plaoe on or about this 20of our shore.
In terms of pollution, we can ignore the first category of rocky
coast line. It is not now polluted by natural process and is either unusable
or inaccessible by man hence there is no artificial pollution to any great
extent.
The second category of developable shoreline is already polluted by
nature, or as I refer to it, the natural process of vegetative and animal
decay. Artificial pollution by garbage dumps, private sewage fields, and
wholesale raw human waste by Government disposal systems are rapidly increasin
the pollution of these areas. By nature, these swamps, lagoons, and estuarys,
contain porous sand and mud that absorb the waste materials. Also, in most
of these swamps or bays there is little or no ooean current or tide to assist
in the cleansing flow of sea water. The waste stays where it was left and
rather than disappear will beoome greater as more vegetation dies and
more artifioial pollution is added.
The third category, that of developed ooast such as beaohes, and
harbors, Is rapidly being polluted by artifioial means rather than, as in
the previous oase, by nature. Fortunately our beaohes are still swimm&ble,
¦
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out for how much longer'? Our harbors, both Christiansted and Irrcdorikstcd
are in immediate peril, however Port Harvey and the H©ss Complex are to the
best of my knowledge still relatively free from artificial pollution though
natural pollution and silting are evident at ?ort Harvey.
3aw sewage is presently being discharged directly at the shoreline in
^ederiksted in three different locations, There are two old cast iron cut-
Tall lines to carry sewage from town. These originally extended about 100
feet out to sea but have 3ince broken up or cracked so that raw sewage
floats to the surface within 25 feet of shore, a new sewage outfall is
presently being constructed south of town near the fish market. I under-
stand that this is a pressure outfall that carries raw sewage from the
new housing project out to sea for a total of approximately 600 feet, -.t
that point the sea botton is approximately 18 feet below sea level and
consists primarily of sand with some coral outcropping and sea growth, rhe
raw sewage will, to some degree, be absorbed by the sand. The sea currents
at this distance from shore are constant^ however} and it is hoped tha-s «he
sewage will be carried out to sea so that no pollution will occur u-o.-. ;
the shore. The two broken outfall lines opposite Hill and i.ar.:et i'^sous are
not sufficient to introduce the sewage into the current and as a result
residue is evident on the shore.
The Christiansted harbor has much the same problem in that sewage
appears along the shore within the harbor. The existing outfall carries
to the leading edge of the reef or approximately lj.,000 feet from shore in a
north easterly direction. The winds, waves and sea currents however corns
from the east and north and therefore carry much of the sewage back ir.cide
the reef near little Princess. The water depth beyond the reef falls rapidly to
over 500 feet and I submit that the outfall should be sufficiently extended
so that the sewage is discharged well beyond the reef and near the sea botton.
In addition to the previously mentioned sewage disposal problems, we
have still in practice an archaic method of waste disposal commonly known
as "night soil". Slum properties in both towns often don't boast of modern
toilet facilities thus "night soil" is collected in cans and disposed of
south of the airport near Estate Envy. This sewage is dumped at the water's
edge and is carried along the shore as it gradually disintegrates and dilutes,
in the process contaminating several beaches and resort hotel areas. I
have personally seen raw sewage awash at the Estate Carlton Hotel beach which
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is directly west and over two miles away, jl can only conclude thc.t it
originated, at the "night soil" dump.
rollution other than sewage is evident on our beaches primarily
concentrated in proximity to both town harbors. This i understand is
under direct jurisdiction of the iiarbor Masters office and the U.o.
Coast 3uard. in addition to its being-extremely hazardous to snail crr.ft,
this pollution in terms of tin cans, wooden and cardboard cartons, lumber,
etc. is unsightly, but relatively easy to prevent if the officials in authority
x/ould exercise their powers more diligently. Phis type of pollution is of
great concern to all; however, it doesn't constitute the health hazard
and permanent pollution damage that raw sewage will cause in destroying our
beaches, tainting our waters, killing our fish and bird life and eventually
chasing our tourists back to the States.
what then is the optimum use- and future development of our coastal
resources? Government, both local and federal will take part, as will
private individuals, hotel interests, and industry. Existing beaches and
commercial marine facilities will be in increasing demand. Larger piers must
be built, existing facilities expanded and improved, more beach property
made available to public use and in general more adequate administration
and policing of the resources we now have.
Developers will probably, in the near future, begin reclaiming some of
our swamp lands to provide additional residential communities. Hopefully
such developments will provide beach facilities, marinas, and other related
recreational activities for the public. In my experience, private projects
of this sort are much more desirable and successfully constructed than govern-
ment controlled developments primarily due to the red tape inherent in any
governmental project. Care must be taken that adequate sewage disposal is
planned for in these reclaimed areas.
Our local government has finally begun to face squarely the urgent
problems inherent in disposal of human waste. Let us hope^ with assistance
from the Federal Government, that adequate sewage and garbage disposal systems
will immediately be constructed to halt the tide. Ue cannot be content
with a half adequate job. A complete sewage treatment plant with a net-
work of pipelines throughout the island is the only answer. Snail, individual
treatment plants are not economically sound and extremely more difficult to
administer if built by private individual developers. 2he reprocessed water
from several large government plants could be reintroduced belov ground and
substantially raise our vxater table. Waste solids can be processed and cured
for mineral content or fertilizer, but only if rigidly controlled by hearth
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inspectors and chemists. This is then the role of the local ana
Federal Governments.
The private citizen, business man, developer, or industrialist has
the task of developing additional coastal areas Tor commercial, industrial
and primarily residential and recreational use.
Perhaps thought should be given to the preservation of some of our
marsh lands as bird and fish breeding grounds. If so, the land should b&
acquired by a specific government agency designed solely for that pur-
pose. 'Wildlife and marsh land refuges have well known and proven value
foro.the public interest. I submit, however, that public or private park
and recreational areas are of much greater importance on our small
island where land is already at a premium than for marsh land refuges.
3oth public and' private beach and recreational projects have their place
in our society. Federal and local governments both must police and
administer a certain number of such areas. Private developers v^ust do
the same, but both should immediately concern themselves with the cause
and prevention of pollution so that adequate steps can be taken to halt
further damage to the rare and beautiful resources we now possess.
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