Skinequit Water Sampling Program

The Harwich Department of Health does weekly e. coli pond checks during the summer. If over the limit for swimming, a notice is posted at the public access, at the end of Ocean Street off Uncle Venies. Check this page for any additional information.

The Harwich Water Quality Monitoring Program does twice monthly testing using pond volunteers to determine clarity, dissolved oxygen, and temperature, during the summer season. Water samples are also taken for analyses at UMass, Dartmouth to determine nitrates, phosphates, and chlorophyl levels (an indication of algae levels.) The UMass results are available the year following the testing. Check the Skinequit website for the current readings on clarity, dissolve oxygen and temperature.

Video showing the water sampling process here:

Solarbee services the unit in the spring and fall and also does its own testing at three pond locations for clarity, oxygen, and temperature. These reports are available a week after the visit and will be posted on the website.

As needed we have pond water analyzed by Greenwater Labs to determine the kind of algae we have and the cell count of each specie. The most prevalent one currently is Aphanizomenon Gracile which gives the pond that green tea look in mid August. This algae can be harmful to shell fish but is generally thought to not be harmful to humans unless drunk in volume. The more toxic algae are the floating varieties. See the photo of such a toxic algae bloom below, from the time before the Solarbee was in service.

 

SolarBee Water Testing and Service Report September 2015

Town of Harwich Water Quality Reports for Skinequit Pond (2015)

Town of Harwich Water Quality Reports for Skinequit Pond (2016)

Town of Harwich Water Quality Reports for Skinequit Pond (2017)