Save The Sound's 2025 LI Sound Beach Grades In Time For Memorial Day

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — Which nearby beaches made the grade? Which fell short? The sometimes surprising results of Save the Sound's Sound Explorer 2025 Beach Grades are out, just in time for Memorial Day.

Updated grades for over 200 beaches around the Long Island Sound shoreline were unveiled in the report which shows that 72 percent of of Long Island Sound beaches earned "A" or "B" water quality grades.

The organization recommends that people "dive into" those grades to see how the water quality of their favorite beach compares to those of other beaches along the Long Island Sound shoreline.

"Save the Sound's 2025 Long Island Sound Beach Report demonstrates just how urgent it is that we prioritize new investment in sewage and stormwater infrastructure," David Ansel, VP, Center for Water Protection, Save the Sound said. "If we're not proactive, the impacts of climate change will undo so much of our successful past and ongoing work in restoring the water quality of the Sound."

No Westchester County beach made the list of the highest-scoring Long Island Sound Beaches list in 2025.

However, four Westchester County beaches had the dubious distinction of appearing in the ten lowest-scoring Long Island Sound Beaches list: Harbor Island Beach, Hudson Park, Rye Town Park - Oakland Beach, and Rye Playland Beach.

2025 Westchester County Beach Grades:

• Glen Island Park: B+
• Beckwithe Pointe: not available
• VIP Club: B+
• Greentree Club: A-
• Davenport Club: B+
• Surf Club: C-
• Hudson Park: D+
• Larchmont Shore Club: B
• Larchmont Manor Park: C+
• Orienta Beach Club: D+
• Beach Point Club: B-
• Harbor Island Beach: D
• Shore Acres Club: not available
• Mamaroneck Beach & Yacht Club: D
• American Yacht Club: A+
• Shenorock Shore Club: B+
• Coveleigh Beach Club: B+
• Rye Town/Oakland Beach: D+
• Rye Playland Beach: C+
• Manursing Island Club: B
• Westchester Country Club Beach: B+

The environmental organization says that the Beach Grades in the biennial report are based on how water samples collected by departments of health perform against state safe swimming criteria. Samples were collected throughout the swimming season during wet and dry conditions and were then analyzed for fecal bacteria.

Save the Sound says that this year's Beach Report "raises concerns about the water quality impacts of rain events driven by climate change, noting an increase in 'lost beach days,' and wet weather sample failures, particularly in the western Sound."

The organization says that based on a three-year average of annual failure rates, wet weather fails across Long Island Sound beaches rose from 11 percent in the years 2020-2022, to 13.5 percent in the years 2022-2024. That increase was partly due to the failure rate in the westernmost area of the Sound (Westchester County and NYC), which increased from 14.9 percent in the years 2020-2022, to 20.8 percent in the years 2022-2024.

After analyzing data from the Environmental Protection Agency's Beach Advisory and Closing Online Notification system, Save the Sound found that Long Island Sound beaches were closed or under advisories for almost 10 percent of swimming days during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Beaches often remain closed after a rain event due to predicted elevated levels of fecal contamination from stormwater runoff, but they can also close or be put under advisory when fecal indicator bacteria is elevated in samples.

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

What Save The Sound Has Previously Said You Can Do To Help Keep Beaches Safe:

• 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.

You can read the full 2025 Beach Report here.