D&B Environmental Associates, LLC

Established in 2005, D&B Environmental Associates, LLC, was founded to support a unique effort aimed at improving Puerto Rico’s water quality. The Río Grande de Loíza and Río La Plata watersheds were selected to initiate this program, since approximately 40% of the total population of Puerto Rico receives its drinking water from these priority watersheds. The goal of the initiative, after reaffirming that these are the most significant water quality problems in these watersheds, is to develop meaningful, effective, and practical solutions to improving water quality.

Called the “Watershed Stewardship Program,” the initiative is a cooperative effort involving all levels of government, the public, and industry. Although its prime sponsors are the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Puerto Rico Department of Health (PRDOH), Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board (PREQB), Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (PRDNER), and the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA), other governmental agencies have also been involved at the federal, commonwealth, and municipal levels. A Stakeholder Involvement Committee has been incorporated as an important part of the effort. The committee is composed of members representing academia, agriculture, municipalities, community groups, industry, construction, environmental, and professional associations.

The Watershed Stewardship Program has been engaged in many aspects of improving the island’s water quality, including:

• developing a phosphate detergent limitation for the island;
• development of better control of new septic tank construction, mechanisms for the proper operation and maintenance of septic tanks and cesspools, and siting;
• improved management of wastewater collection system overflows and bypasses, as well as spill response and control; and
• livestock manure management and grazing (controlled stream crossings, localized streambank stabilization, etc.).

For a more information on the Watershed Stewardship Program, please see “An Overview of Water Quality Improvement Strategies for Puerto Rico” , by D&B’s Project Director, Richard L. Caspe, in the January 2008 issue of Dimensión magazine.

For more information on D&B Environmental Associates, please contact Executive Vice President, Steven A. Fangmann, P.E., at (516) 364-9890 x 3005.