A slight improvement in the sargassum condition is beginning on St. Croix, according to the Virgin Islands Power Authority.
The sargassum is impacting St. Croix’s desalination facility located next to the Richmond Power Plant and operated by the long-standing partner Seven Seas, which produces potable water from seawater via reverse osmosis water plants, according to a recent press release.
Though researchers at the University of South Florida have predicted a reduction in seaweed for the season, areas in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Florida continue to see moderate levels of sargassum this summer. Last week St. Croix began experiencing an influx of sargassum on the northcentral shoreline where the Richmond Power Plant is located along with Seven Seas, the press release stated.
As key initiatives to mitigate the immediate impact continued over last weekend and throughout last week, WAPA personnel have noted the need for less frequency in filter change-outs, regularly scheduled cleaning of membrane units, and decreased use of chlorine injections. To further assist heavily impacted neighborhoods, crews have been working around the clock flushing pipes to reduce discoloration of water, the release stated.
With these efforts, the Authority continues to meet Environmental Protection Agency standards for potable drinking water, despite the continued impact of the unusual odor and discoloration, it said.
Long-term solutions have been approved for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding to mitigate sargassum as the Authority actively coordinates with the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency and other federal and local agencies. Currently, the Authority is scoping the project to determine the total cost of Phase 1 mitigation efforts, according to the release.
The Authority continues to take all steps to provide the highest quality potable water despite the occurrence of sargassum and has confirmed there is no current threat to water production and/or storage levels throughout the island of St. Croix, it said.
