By LRWP Monitoring Outreach Coordinator Jocelyn Palomino

The Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership and Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County run a volunteer pathogens monitoring program from May to September every summer along the Raritan River. We collect water quality samples at 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 lab results for water quality samples taken on July 13, 2023 show Enterococcus bacteria levels exceed the EPA federal water quality standard of 104 cfu/100mL at four of our monitoring sites this week. Problem sites are indicated by red frowns on the map and chart which includes: Riverside Park (Piscataway), Rutgers Boathouse (New Brunswick), Edison Boat Basin (Edison), and Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park (Sayreville). Green smiles on the chart and map indicate sites with bacteria levels safe for recreation and includes: South Amboy Waterfront Park (South Amboy) and 2nd Street Park (Perth Amboy).

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 fishing and swimming in a water body. Possible sources of bacteria include Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), improperly functioning wastewater treatment plants, stormwater runoff, leaking septic systems, animal carcasses, and runoff from manure storage areas.

Our goal in reporting these results is to give area residents an understanding of potential health risks related to primary contact (touching) the water during water based recreation. Please remember to always wash thoroughly after all activities if you choose to recreate on the Raritan!

Sheyla Casco and Frank Dahl working together to collect the data off the YSI at the Rutgers Boathouse, Photo Credit: Jocelyn Palomino

A calming view from the docks at Ken Buchanan Waterfront Park, we are so lucky to be out at these sites every week! Photo Credit: Colleen Georges

The lighthouse pictured behind Sheyla Casco at our South Amboy site who volunteered to get in the water, Photo Credit: Jocelyn Palomino

So appreciative of the amazing team of volunteers who came out this week! Photo Credit: Colleen Georges