Surfrider Foundation Uses Aquagenx Portable Field Kit in U.S. Virgin Islands Post Hurricane Irma

The Surfrider Foundation is using Aquagenx portable water quality kits to aid disaster response efforts on Saint John following Hurricane Irma in the U.S. Virgin Islands. They are testing beach water quality with a special focus on E. coli bacteria.

“Normally you have to do this testing in a laboratory, culturing the bacteria and allowing it to incubate. We’re using test kits made by Aquagenx. Their technology allows us to get results in the field without electricity, usually within two days,” says Katie Day, Surfrider staff scientist.

The Surfrider Foundation and Love City Strong initially tested beach water quality at 14 beaches over a seven-day period with the Aquagenx Basic Field Kit.

Read St. John Tradewinds news article about their efforts.

Katie Day is also posting about their disaster response efforts post Hurricane Irma on the Surfrider blog. In a recent post she writes:

“Surfrider Foundation and local community organization, Love City Strong, donated water quality testing kits, created by Aquagenx, which are able to test for fecal indicator bacteria without the need for a lab or electricity. We put together a sampling grid to test recreational beach water quality of 14 beaches around the island. Results were physically printed and posted at community centers, verbally mentioned at community meetings, broadcasted by local newspapers and interviews, and distributed to local agencies. Swan and Love City Strong will continue to test beaches throughout the end of the year, and post results on Surfrider’s Blue Water Task Force webpage.”

Read Surfrider blog post