Save The Sound's 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 2023 Beach Grades are out, just in time for Memorial Day.

Updated grades for 197 beaches around the Long Island Sound shoreline were unveiled in the report which shows that 73 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.

"The positive news is that there are a ton of great beaches for swimming all the way around Long Island Sound and many received excellent marks with respect to water quality," Peter Linderoth, director of water quality for Save the Sound, said.

Three beaches in Westchester County made the list of the highest-scoring Long Island Sound Beaches list in 2023: Larchmont Manor Park, Larchmont Shore Club and VIP Country Club.

2023 Westchester County Beach Grades:

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

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.

"Reducing stormwater runoff helps beaches, and improving underground sewer collection infrastructure is going to result in better water quality and, consequently, better grades," Linderoth said.

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