ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY BOARD
The project that will be performed thru a contract with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) supports water quality management activities that are authorized under the Clean Water Act and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. These funds will be used to create and preserve jobs to perform the project which consist of the following studies: (1) synoptic water-quality study during wet/dry seasons for streams along the southwestern portion of Puerto Rico, consisting of 103 sampling sites within Río Jacaboa to Quebrada de Los Cedros basins, for a cost of $145,000; (2) synoptic water-quality study during wet/dry seasons for streams along the northeastern portion of Puerto Rico, consisting of 85 sampling sites within Río Herrera to Río Maunabo basins, for a cost of $120,000; (3) synoptic water-quality study during wet/dry seasons for the Río Guanajibo, Río Grande de Añasco, and Río Culebrinas basins, located at the western portion of Puerto Rico, to monitor the pollution-induced effects on streams for selected water-quality parameters, for a cost of $230,000. In addition, this sampling effort will include the collection and analysis of samples to determine the presence of persistent pesticides at 46 surface-water stations and 10 groundwater sites within the three watersheds; and (4) water quality study to determine whether or not emerging pollutants are present in the streams and basins of Puerto Rico, and if they are present, determine which are the most prevalent throughout the Island in order to develop a strategy to address the different scenarios, to protect aquatic life and human health, for a cost of $21,300. The purpose of the project is to stimulate economic recovery and determine the nature, extent, and causes of point and non point sources of water pollution in order to develop water quality management plans and address such problems as necessary.