Greenwich Department Of Health Investigates High Bacteria Levels At Byram Beach

GREENWICH, CT — High bacteria levels have persisted in the water at Byram Beach without the influence of recognized amounts of rainfall, and the Greenwich Health Department said Friday it believes the contamination can be traced to a broken sewer line near Bimbo Bakeries.

For the past seven days, the Greenwich Department of Health has had to close Byram Beach for swimming as a result of the high bacteria counts.

As part of an investigation, water samples were taken at several locations on Tom’s Brook which flows from Holly Hill Lane though the transfer station and discharges into Long Island Sound just north of Byram Beach, according to the Department of Health.

The Greenwich Department of Health’s laboratory analyzed these samples for coliform bacteria and the results indicated excessive bacteria loads at several locations. The Department of Health notified the town’s Sewer Department and the Department of Parks and Recreation of its findings.

The Sewer Department assisted the Department of Health with locating town sewer lines in the area and dye tested many of them, which were all found to be in good working condition, the Department of Health said in a news release.

Dye testing was then performed on various private buildings in the area, and on Thursday, a positive test was noted in Tom's Brook and Long Island Sound

The private sewer line lateral of Bimbo Bakeries at 10 Hamilton Ave. had apparently broken underground and was leaking, making its way into Tom’s Brook, which surfaces eventually into Long Island Sound, the Department of Health said.

Town health officials are working with Bimbo Bakeries and the Greenwich Sewer Department to repair the sewer line as quickly as possible. The sewer line break is believed to have occurred recently based on the sampling data analysis of Byram Beach water over the course of 10 days.

"The quick response of all town departments which includes the department’s laboratory daily analysis of samples lead to the finding of this problem promptly,"the Greenwich Department of Health said in a news release. "Byram Beach will remain closed for swimming until the private sewer line repair is made and approved by the town’s Sewer Department."

Byram Park will be open along with the Byram Beach swimming pool.