Save The Sound Releases 2023 Long Island Sound Beach Report Card

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — Which nearby beaches made the grade? Which fell short? The sometimes surprising results of the 2023 Long Island Sound Beach Report are out.

Coinciding with the first day of summer, regional nonprofit organization Save the Sound released its 2023 Long Island Sound Beach Report on Wednesday, based on data from 2020-2022. Updated grades for over 200 beaches around the Long Island Sound shoreline were unveiled in the biennial report which shows that 78 percent of Long Island Sound beaches earned "A" or "B" water quality grades.

However, beach closures or "failures" due to poor water quality after rainfall increased in several regions compared to the 2021 report. These closures or failures are concerning because: (1) elevated levels of fecal contamination after rain can indicate untreated sewage in stormwater pipes, (2) beaches with abundant wet weather failures have a great amount of impervious surfaces (roads, roofs, parking lots) that lead to high volumes of stormwater flow to beaches, and (3) rainfall intensity and frequency are increasing due to climate change.

Save the Sound also noted that from 2020 to 2022, the region had the most rainfall during a three-year period that has been recorded in a decade, indicating that investments towards improving local stormwater systems are needed.

"Water quality at beaches across Long Island Sound has come so far - but we may be a tipping point," David Ansel, vice president of water protection at Save the Sound, said. "Increasing rainfall brought on by climate change threatens to undo decades of progress unless we act now. We're calling on elected officials to prioritize investment in repairs and improvements to sewer and stormwater lines. Steps we take in the next five years may well set the course for the health of Long Island Sound over the next 50."

The environmental action organization says that the main purpose of the Beach Report is to "provide as many people as possible with a science- and data-driven analysis of water quality when evaluated against state criteria for safe swimming — which measure fecal indicator bacteria levels on a weekly basis during the swimming season." The testing is mandatory for both recreational swimming beach permits required of beach operators and for private beaches that participate in the federally funded monitoring and reporting program. Data are collected by health departments for each beach community and uploaded to the EPA's Water Quality Portal database. Save the Sound assigns Beach Grades to this data using methodology developed by their scientists and advisors.

The grading system Save the Sound used in the Long Island Sound Beach Report used two criteria for each beach:

1. The frequency with which water was identified as unsafe for swimming.
2. The magnitude of the level of contamination on the worst sampling day of the season.

Since rainfall affects the sources and concentration of contamination, grades were provided for both dry and wet weather conditions. Wet weather conditions were recorded when at least 1/4 inch of rain fell in the 2 days prior to sampling.

A passing sample would have 1-104 colony forming units of Enterococci (fecal indicating bacteria) per 100 milliliters. A failing sample would have greater than 104 colony forming units of Enterococci per 100 milliliters.

Exposure to water contaminated with pathogens can cause a variety of symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, fever, illnesses of the upper respiratory tract, and minor skin, eye, ear, nose, and throat irritations.

Save the Sound says that the most common challenges to water quality, as related to swimming, in the Long Island Sound are: animal waste, sewage, stormwater and septic systems.

Glen Island Park, in New Rochelle, had the 5th highest 3-year grade among all Sound beaches in New York. The other nine beaches in the top ten scoring beaches list were in Long Island.

However, two Sound Shore beaches made the list of the lowest scoring beaches in the region. Mamaroneck's Harbor Island Beach received a 3-year score of D, while New Rochelle's Hudson Park received a 3-year score of C+. The other eight beaches in the lowest ten scoring beaches were in Long Island and Connecticut.

2022 Westchester County Beach Grades:

• Glen Island Park: A+
• Beckwithe Pointe: A+
• VIP Club: A+
• Greentree Club: B+
• Davenport Club: B-
• Surf Club: A+
• New Rochelle Rowing Club: Not enough data.
• Hudson Park: D+
• Echo Bay Yacht Club: Not enough data.
• Larchmont Shore Club: A+
• Larchmont Manor Park: B
• Orienta Beach Club: B-
• Beach Point Club: A+
• Harbor Island Beach: F
• Shore Acres Club: Not enough data.
• Mamaroneck Beach & Yacht Club: C+
• American Yacht Club: A+
• Shenorock Shore Club: B
• Coveleigh Beach Club: A+
• Rye Town/Oakland Beach: B+
• Rye Playland Beach: C+
• Manursing Island Club: A+
• Westchester Country Club Beach: B+

SEE ALSO: See Which Westchester City Was Ranked #5 Best Beach Town In NY

What Save The Sound Says You Can Do:

• Support local investments in maintaining, repairing, upgrading municipal sewage collection and treatment. Repair any sewer lines that run from your home or office.
• Install green infrastructure that keeps rainfall on your property out of overloaded storm drains (rain gardens, rain barrles, green roofs, pervious driveways & patios).
• Upgrade your septic system/cesspool to a newer, cleaner technology.
• Don't throw garbage, chemicals or pet waste on the side of the road.
• Stop using single-use plastics and Styrofoam, limit the use of takeout food containers and cutlery, & never release balloons into the air.
• Encourage elected officials to support investments in wastewater and stormwater infrastucture and technologies that allow for same-day water quality monitoring.
• If you see a grade that concerns you, talk to your local officials and reach out to Save the Sound or other groups fighting for cleaner Long Island Sound waters. The source of pollution will most likely be hyperlocal, making the solution hyperlocal as well.

Find out more about Save the Sound on their website.