By LRWP Monitoring Outreach Coordinator Jocelyn Palomino

Every Thursday from May to October, the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership and Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County run a volunteer-based monitoring program along the Raritan river. During the summer, we collect water quality samples at six non-bathing public access beach sites, provide our samples to the Interstate Environmental Commission for analysis in their laboratory and report the results to the public on Friday afternoons. Our mission is to share this data with the community and partners to ensure the safe use of the Raritan river for all.

After receiving such heavy rainfall this week due to Tropical Storm Debby, our lab results for water quality samples taken on Thursday August 08, 2024 show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceeding the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at all SIX of our monitoring sites. Problem sites are indicated by red frowns on the map and chart which includes: Riverside Park (Piscataway), Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick), Edison Boat Basin and Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Edison), South Amboy Waterfront Park (South Amboy) and 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy). Green smiles on the chart and map would normally indicate the sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation, which does not include any sites this week.

Pathogens/Enterococci levels are used as indicators of the possible presence of disease-causing bacteria in recreational waters. Such pathogens may pose health risks to people coming in primary contact with the water (touching) through recreational activities like fishing, kayaking or swimming in a water body. Possible sources of bacteria include stormwater runoff, Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), improperly functioning wastewater treatment plants, leaking septic systems, animal carcasses, and runoff from manure storage areas.

Our goal in reporting these results is to give residents a better understanding of the potential health risks related to primary contact during water-based recreation. If you plan on recreating on the Raritan, be sure to take all safety precautions by washing up after any activities!

A dark morning filled with strong winds and plenty of rain to make water quality monitoring an adventure!! Photo Credit: Jocelyn Palomino (left) and Irene Riegner (right)

Loads of debris/trash washed up by the docks of the Edison Boat Basin. You can see how all the stormwater runoff washed from the parking lot makes its path to the river! Photo Credit: Jocelyn Palomino

While one of our volunteers wades into the river to collect our weekly sample, the rest of the team stays ashore to record the data relayed by the YSI, which indicates the real-time levels of Dissolved Oxygen, pH, salinity and more. Photo Credit: Jocelyn Palomino (left) and Irene Riegner (right)

HUGE THANKS to Nibav Velan and Irene Riegner for their contributions this week and for enduring the conditions of Tropical Storm Debby! Photo Credit: Jocelyn Palomino (left) and Irene Riegner (right)