Condado residents alarmed by dark patch in lagoon.
- The San Juan Daily Star
- May 25
- 2 min read
By THE STAR STAFF
A dark patch visible Sunday in the Condado Lagoon, near Aguadilla Street and the outfall area at Jaime Benítez Park, has raised fresh concerns among Condado residents, who in recent weeks have reported recurring discharges along nearby beaches.
The patch and discharges appeared near areas where locals and tourists regularly paddleboard and kayak, prompting questions about potential health and environmental risks.
According to the most recent water‑quality report from the San Juan Bay Estuary Program, published last Thursday, water samples taken at the Aguadilla Street station showed 20.0 CFU/100 ml of enterococci, a level considered safe for swimmers under current standards. Nonetheless, the report showed high levels in waters near Serra Street and Cervantes Street.
The organization conducts weekly sampling with the support of volunteer personnel, as noted on its website.
Despite the acceptable readings, the visible dark stain has revived longstanding concerns about contamination in the lagoon and surrounding coastal areas. Between 2008 and 2013, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency documented that millions of gallons of untreated wastewater, including fecal matter and toxic pollutants, were being discharged daily from the Municipality of San Juan’s system into bodies of water such as the Condado Lagoon and beaches along the northern coast, from El Escambrón to Ocean Park.
Residents say that while the latest enterococci levels do not indicate an immediate hazard, the recurrence of visible discharges warrants a deeper investigation and coordinated action from state and federal agencies.
As of Sunday afternoon, no government agency had announced whether an official assessment of the dark patch had begun.
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