Weekend Beach Warning: No Water Sampling Conducted for St. Croix and St. John as Sargassum and Runoff Risk Rises
By JOHN McCARTHY / St. Croix Sun News Reporter
ST. CROIX — The Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) released its weekly beach water quality monitoring report late Friday afternoon, announcing that 13 popular swimming destinations on St. Thomas and Water Island are safe for weekend recreation.
However, a major public safety gap remains for the rest of the territory, as the agency admitted it failed to collect any water samples for St. Croix or St. John heading into the weekend.
According to the DPNR Division of Environmental Protection, water quality analysis performed between June 1 and June 5, 2026, confirmed that bacterial concentrations met standard safety guidelines at 13 specific locations.
The Safe List (St. Thomas & Water Island)
The following beaches are officially considered safe for swimming and fishing this weekend:
St. Thomas: Secret Harbor, Lindbergh Bay, Bolongo Bay, Lindqvist Beach, Brewers Bay, Magens Bay, Coki Point, Vessup Bay, Sapphire Beach, Frenchman's Bay, Hull Bay, and Bluebeards Beach.
Water Island: Honeymoon Beach.
The ‘Unknown’ Reality for St. Croix and St. John
Despite high weekend beach traffic and recent weather patterns across the territory, DPNR explicitly noted that samples were not collected at Water Bay on St. Thomas, all beaches on St. John, and all beaches on St. Croix.
As a direct result of this operational omission, the actual water quality for the entirety of St. Croix and St. John remains completely unknown.
The lack of environmental oversight comes at a precarious time for local coastlines. Territory waters have experienced steady environmental pressures from heavy stormwater runoff and massive migrating mats of sargassum seaweed.
Elevated Health Risks Warned
Environmental officials issued a clear warning to the public regarding the potential dangers of unmonitored waters. Anyone swimming in coastal areas heavily impacted by sewage, stormwater runoff, or large accumulations of sargassum faces an elevated health risk due to high concentrations of Enterococci bacteria and other toxic contaminants.
"Waters impacted by sewage, stormwater runoff—including guts, puddles, and drainage basins—large amounts of sargassum, or any area that appears discolored or has foul odors should be avoided," the DPNR advisory stated.
The agency claims it will continue to monitor the impacted waters moving forward. Residents seeking further clarification on regional water quality or specific local bay conditions are urged to call the Division of Environmental Protection directly at (340) 773-1082 on St. Croix or (340) 774-3320 on St. Thomas.
