Saipan sites red-flagged; all Tinian beaches get green flag

The Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality (BECQ) is issuing temporary warnings for parts of Saipan while reporting that all sampled beaches on Tinian met water-quality standards this week. In a weekly marine water quality report dated for the week of Nov. 6, BECQ flagged two sites on Saipan’s west coast: Smiling Cove Marina and Garapan Fishing Base. Water samples at both locations showed elevated enterococci levels that exceeded CNMI marine water quality standards. BECQ advises the public not to swim or fish near those sites and to stay at least 300 feet away for the next 48 hours or until further notice. The agency says stormwater runoff in tropical areas can also carry bacteria from natural sources, so the flags are precautionary.