Authorities to test Negril beach after filth concerns raised
Published:Monday | October 13, 2025 | 12:06 AM
WESTERN BUREAU:
Amid growing concerns about the sanitary condition of Negril’s world-renowned white-sand beach, public-health officials in Westmoreland have announced plans to test the water following reports that swimmers may be exposed to contaminants.
The issue was raised during last Thursday’s monthly meeting of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation (WMC) by Councillor Artnel Colley, who represents the Negril Division. Colley said he had received troubling reports suggesting that beachgoers were “swimming in filth”.
“I was at a meeting last Tuesday in Negril, and a member from the community – a businessman – mentioned that when people go to the beach in Negril, they are swimming in filth,” Colley told the meeting. “I want to know if the health department has any responsibility to test the quality of the water at these beaches, and if so, when this was last done.”
In response, Steve Morris, chief public-health inspector for Westmoreland, pushed back on the claim but acknowledged that no water quality testing had been done at Negril’s beaches for over a year.
“The notion that persons are bathing in filth, I disagree [with that], because the last time we did any sampling, that was not the situation,” said Morris. “I don’t have a specific timeline, but it could be probably over a year now [since the last tests]. It is something that we are currently looking at – the testing of recreational waters – and I will mandate our officers to look into it.”
Morris also noted that while the Westmoreland Health Services is tasked with monitoring recreational water quality, beach facility operators are also required to conduct periodic testing under the Blue Flag Beach Programme – an international certification that assesses environmental and safety standards.
He said an environmental health officer would be assigned to collect new samples from Negril’s waters, and the results would be presented at a future WMC meeting.
Experts have warned that exposure to polluted coastal waters can lead to a range of health problems, including gastrointestinal illnesses such as diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting, as well as skin rashes and ear infections, typically caused by pathogens like E. coli and enterococci.
“Negril depends heavily on its beaches. We cannot afford for visitors or locals to fall ill because of something that could have been prevented with regular testing,” Colley told The Gleaner after the WMC meeting.
Tourism stakeholders have echoed similar sentiments, warning that any negative perception of Negril’s waters could undermine Jamaica’s standing as a world-class beach destination.