New Year, Cleaner Water

The time has come for the veritable New Year’s resolutions list. While the usual suspects are likely to make the list for self-improvement, the Long Island Clean Water Partnership would also like to suggest some items to check off that serve the very island we call home. Water defines life on Long Island. Our work is about preserving and protecting our waters and making the public aware that we can all do our part. Consider adding these water-loving resolutions to your list this year…

CONSERVE WATER: Don’t leave water running while you brush your teeth; cut grass high at three inches to ward off invasive plants, build stronger root systems, and require less water; consider using EPA WaterSense fixtures.

PICK UP AFTER YOUR PET: Bacterial contamination from pet waste can pose a threat to human health and our local waterways, so pick up pet waste. It’s also the kind, respectful pet owner thing to do.

CREATE A TOXIC-FREE HOME: Avoid using pesticides, fertilizers, toxic cleaning products, and other chemicals. These products can be harmful to humans, pets and wildlife and are already showing up in our water supply.

PROPERLY DISPOSE OF MEDS AND TOXIC FLUIDS: Dumping these items down household and storm drains, or flushing them in the toilet, can end up in our drinking water. Call a recycling center or find a place that accepts these items to properly dispose of. Click to see where you can dispose of meds on the East End and Suffolk and Nassau Counties.

REPLACE YOUR SEPTIC SYSTEM: Cesspools and septic systems have been identified as the largest contributor of nitrogen pollution to the East End’s surface and groundwater systems. The good news is if the time has come to replace yours, you may be eligible for grant funding! Learn more at Reclaim Our Water and Clean Water Cash.

ELECT LEADERS AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE: Make your voice heard for Long Island’s water and cast your vote for elected officials that will make a difference and address Long Island’s wastewater problems. Ask them for the long-term funding needed to make real change and hold them accountable. Become an advocate for your water.

Small changes can have a big impact. Have other ideas on how to protect Long Island’s water? Share with us on our Facebook page! Thank you for supporting the Long Island Clean Water Partnership. We wish you a happy New Year!

Up to $30,000 in Grant Funding to Upgrade Septic Systems on the East End

Scientists have confirmed the that the vast majority of septic systems installed across eastern Long Island do not effectively treat sewage, and contribute to the pollution of our beautiful bays and harbors. These faulty systems have been identified as the largest contributor of nitrogen pollution to the East End’s surface and groundwater systems, leading to beach closures, shellfishing restrictions, toxic algal blooms, and drinking water contamination, and has had an impact on the local economy and tourism. With grant funding from Suffolk County and the Long Island Community Foundation, Long Island Clean Water Partnership founding member organization Group for the East End has conducted outreach and education regarding the availability of substantial funding for East End residents. Now, up to $30,000 of grant funding to upgrade septic systems is available for these homeowners.

A new website, Clean Water Cash, has been launched to educate consumers on nitrogen pollution, alternative systems, and grants available through New York State, Suffolk County, and several East End towns.

“Fortunately, the technology is now available to greatly improve our wastewater treatment and residents can take advantage of a growing number of financial incentives that significantly reduce the cost of getting advanced treatment systems installed,” said Group for the East End president Bob DeLuca. “We developed the ‘Clean Water Cash’ website as a tool to help every resident easily understand the water quality issues facing our region, and find out what incentives they can qualify for if they want to install an advanced treatment system on their property. Thanks to support from Suffolk County and the Long Island Community Foundation, we are getting the word out through cleanwatercash.org and other outlets, and we are looking forward to cleaner waters all across our magnificent East End.”

Replacing older and failing systems with new state-of-the-start technology will lessen nitrogen pollution and lead to cleaner water. These innovative and advanced onsite wastewater treatment systems reduce nitrogen input up to 70%, as reported by Suffolk County.

The County’s Reclaim Our Water Septic Improvement Program is providing citizens with an opportunity to play a direct role in cleaning up water pollution by administrating up to $30,000 in County and State funding to upgrade conventional septic systems to new, state-of-the-art nitrogen reducing septic technology. More information on Suffolk County’s program can also be found at cleanwatercash.org.

In support of this campaign, Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming said, “The primary culprit of the nitrogen pollution is widely recognized as inadequate septic treatment. New York State, Suffolk County, East Hampton, Shelter Island, and Southampton Towns have all recognized this critical issue through the funding of grants. I applaud the work of the partnership between the Group for the East End and Suffolk County in making the process for eligible homeowners more accessible by compiling information for these valuable programs and launching cleanwatercash.org.”

Also in support, Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski shared, “Thank you to the Group for the East End for partnering with Suffolk County to get the word out about the Septic Improvement Program. I encourage homeowners to take advantage of the significant grants available and consider installing an advanced waste water treatment system.  This program is vitally important in protecting our ground and surface waters.”

Learn more at cleanwatercash.org.

It Takes a Village

Joining together to protect our water

At the Long Island Clean Water Partnership, we often discuss the impact of water pollution, the ongoing threats our waters face, initiatives we are implementing to protect our drinking water, and the results of our actions. While the Partnership aims to lead the way for water quality improvement and protection, there are many other communities that come together to help advance this necessary mission.

Southampton Village residents, state and local elected officials, and environmentalists came together recently to discuss theissues the polluted Lake Agawam faces and look for solutions to help clean upthis once beautiful waterbody. The group plans to found the Lake Agawam Conservancy to protect it from future blue-green algae blooms, much of which results from nitrogen from runoff in the village’s business district. Each summer, these blooms have made the lake unsafe for humans and pets.

This is not the first time small communities have taken action to protect the waters they love. Friends of Georgica Pond, Friends of the Bay, Group to Save Goldsmith Inlet, Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor, Manhasset Bay Protection Committee, Preserve Plum Island, and many more across Nassau and Suffolk Counties are taking action. When these groups join together on an even larger scale, big change can happen.

Many communities, civic groups, environmentalists, organizations, elected officials, and more have come together to help address water pollution problems. We applaud these efforts, which have proven invaluable in the fight for clean water. As the Long Island Clean Water Partnership is committed to finding solutions for our polluted waters, we want to see summers where our beaches are open and shellfish is safe to eat. We want to know our water is safe to drink and that our elected officials are doing everything in their power to ensure this is true for future generations. You can help! Join the Partnership today to help protect and restore our waters.Click here to learn more.

Plan to Protect Our Waters

We have a problem

If you’ve read a newspaper or watched a local news channel in the past five years, then you know that Long Island is facing a water quality crisis. We’ve seen a decline in shellfish populations, continuous harmful algae blooms that plague our coastal waters and close our favorite beaches, and even coastal flooding. We have a problem. The biggest threat to our water quality is nitrogen pollution from cesspools and septic systems. Nitrogen-laden wastewater from our homes flows into these systems and into our underground drinking water aquifers and eventually, into our surface waters. In Suffolk County alone, 70% of homes are hooked up to these antiquated systems, that were never designed to remove nitrogen, only pathogens.

Suffolk County has studied the nitrogen levels in 191 individual waterbodies and has determined that up to 90% reductions in nitrogen will be required in many areas, to restore and protect our waters.

Nitrogen Pollution Explained:

The good news is: We know how to fix it!

New septic systems with nitrogen-removing technology have been developed and when installed, can reduce nitrogen in effluent by up to 90%. 360,000 individual household systems will eventually need to be replaced with this new technology. Suffolk County Department of Health Services recently announced a $4 billion plan to modernize household wastewater infrastructure. You can read all about the plan here.

Now that we have a plan, we need to tell the Suffolk County Legislature to adopt it, so we can finally start the journey to protect our health, economy, and quality of life.

Show your support!

Please join the Long Island Clean Water Partnership and attend one of these important hearings to let your elected officials know why clean water is important to you and your family.

Eastern Suffolk

September 5, 2019 – 6 pm to 8 pm

Riverhead Legislative Auditorium

300 Center Drive, Riverhead, NY 11901

Western Suffolk

September 6, 2019 – 3 pm to 5 pm

Suffolk County Community College

Crooked Hill Road, Brentwood, NY 11717

Algal Blooms Are Lethal to Pets

Protecting our four-legged friends

Spend summer on Long Island and you’re likely to see dogs in parks and on beaches just as much as people. Long Islanders love this extra time outdoors with their four-legged friends. The pups do, too. But are they really safe? As concerns of toxic algal blooms plague our fresh and saltwater bodies each year, dogs are just as at risk as we are.

Arecent article in The New York Timesdetails reports from dog owners across the country that have reported their pets becoming fatally ill after swimming in and ingesting water filled with toxic blue-green algae. These blooms thrive in summer months when the temperatures are warmer. While the sights and smells of algae are apparent to humans, keeping most out of these polluted waters, “animals sometimes lap up the water, ingest floating pieces of algae or snap at floating algal balloons. They could fall fatally ill after licking their wet fur. Toxic algae can also dry up into crusts onshore, where dogs might nibble on them.”

Algal blooms killing dogs is nothing new. In 2012, a dog died after drinking water in East Hampton’s Georgica Pond that was laden with blue-green algae. The following year, there were two more reports of dog deaths from swimming in these toxic waters in Southampton. When reports of these blooms appear in our waters, killing shellfish and making people sick, we should also take extra care in ensuring our pets stay away from these waters, too. The science is increasingly clear that a major cause of our region’s water quality problems is tied to outdated and failing septic systems.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Beach and lake closures should not be the norm. We live on an island and are surrounded by water! It drives the local economy, tourism, fisheries, and more. At the Long Island Clean Water Partnership, we are committed to finding solutions to our water quality problems to protect and restore our waters for the future. Alternatives now exist to better treat our sewage and protect our waters. For more information about how you can qualify for financial assistance to replace your old septic system, clickhere.

Join us to ensure your drinking water is safe now and for generations to come!

Long Island Can Turn the Ugly Tide

Members of the Long Island Clean Water Partnership applaud Suffolk County and the Department of Health Services for its new Subwatersheds Wastewater Plan, released today for public comment. The comprehensive study is a blueprint for solving the nitrogen crisis. It is the first science-based study to examine more than 180 watersheds across the county and establish clean water targets for each. Check out this great editorial by Newsday on the subject!
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Newsday Editorial - August 3, 2019
By The Editorial Board

On Long Island, we find ourselves drawn to the water that surrounds us. It calls us, and we seek it out.

The water is a place to swim and boat, to fish and surf, to paddle and sail. We walk and bike along its shore, stretch out before it to read a good book, and eat dinner while gazing at its moonlit beauty. For some of us, it’s a place of work. For most of us, it’s a place to play. It’s a magnet for tourists and a sanctuary for our overworked and overstressed selves.

But over the years, we’ve treated it badly — mostly, by dumping nitrogen in it. Some of that comes from the fertilizers we use on our lawns and crops. A little comes from the air. But most of it comes from the cesspools and septic tanks that inadequately filter the wastewater we produce at home and at work.

We know all this. The science is rock solid.

We also know what excess nitrogen has done to our water.

It has fueled the algal blooms that have decimated our shellfishing industry. It has killed much of the eel grass that makes up the marshlands that protect us from storms. It has depleted oxygen levels, creating dead zones in which fish cannot survive, as in three big fish kills in the Peconic River in 2015. It can turn some lakes, like Agawam Lake in Southampton and Lake Ronkonkoma, so toxic that swimming and other activities in them are banned.

It’s taken a long time, and lots of studies and public education, but most Long Islanders understand well the region’s nitrogen problem.

They also understand that something must be done to address it.

So we welcome a new report from Suffolk County that lays out the problem in exacting detail, analyzing the nitrogen at 191 individual sites called watersheds — surface water, not drinking water, though nitrogen levels are creeping up in some wells, too. Have a look online. The report checks the box for scientific rigor, and confirms what we’ve seen with our own eyes. It also charts a sensible plan forward.

And while it makes a compelling case for acting with urgency, it also offers optimism — that by taking the appropriate steps starting now, and moving steadily forward, we can reverse the trend of increasing nitrogen within 10 years.

A study of Nassau’s North Shore by Stony Brook University shows similar nitrogen issues, and it should serve as a catalyst for that county to take similar steps.

Suffolk’s strategy is a familiar one, put into overdrive. It calls for targeting homes not connected to sewers — some 360,000, nearly 75 percent of all homes in the county.

That makes sense; one study of the Great South Bay shows that nearly 70 percent of the nitrogen there comes from unsewered homes.

Some of these homes would be connected to sewers where density makes that feasible. Thanks to public votes this year in favor of sewer expansions, some $360 million in federal and state grants will be spent to connect roughly 7,000 homes in Babylon Town, Oakdale and Mastic. That’s a great start toward the project’s eventual goal of 30,000.

The county proposes to complement that by expanding its efforts to work with homeowners to replace cesspools and septic systems with innovative high-tech systems far more effective at removing nitrogen from wastewater. Wisely, it would begin with homes in high priority areas where it takes the least amount of time for groundwater nitrogen to reach our lakes, rivers, harbors and bays.

Suffolk created its program from scratch, testing and approving alternative systems, training staff and installers, getting state money for grants to help homeowners make the pricey conversions, which can cost up to $20,000. With 262 units installed or approved under the grant program, it’s time to ramp up and the numbers in the plan are big — 172,000 replacements over the next 30 years at an average annual cost of $65 million per year. More will be swapped out in the years after that.

With near-universal buy-in on the need to attack the nitrogen problem, the big question now is where to get the money. Some state funding is available, but a recurring source of revenue is needed.

The preferred solution is to put a fee on water usage above what’s typically used for essential needs. Suffolk County residents would have to vote on a referendum to set such a fee, estimated at about $75 a year for the average homeowner. Getting such a proposition on the 2020 ballot likely will require action by county and state lawmakers, but too many of them have ducked the issue.

It’s time to take a stand. Lawmakers should either let Suffolk residents vote on the county’s proposal to fund the war on nitrogen, or offer their own plan. Neither silence or obstruction are options.

This is a key moment. We either work to put a plan into action and reverse what’s been happening, or continue to watch our waters degrade.

If you’re wondering whether Suffolk can afford to tackle the problem, look at the water all around you and ask yourself the real question:

How can we afford not to?
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For more information about the plan click here.

Setting Health Standards for Emerging Contaminants

State Department of Health lowers maximum contaminant levels

News of emerging contaminants in New York waters is nothing new, yet many such contaminants often remain unregulated. Just recently, a report from the New York Public Interest Research Group announced the findings of a three-year study that foundLong Island has the highest concentration of dangerous chemicals like 1,4-dioxane, PFOS, and PFOA in the state. Now, the State Department of Health is taking action and lowering the maximum contaminant levels for these chemicals.

In a recentSouthampton Pressnews article discussing the impact of these chemicals in East End communities such as Wainscott, Sagaponack, Hampton Bays, East Quogue and Westhampton, New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele pointed out that the federal government did not previously have a standard for these chemicals, rather just a health advisory level.

“’All over the state, the emergence of these contaminants in our drinking water supply and their harmful effects are becoming an increasingly unacceptable reality,’ the assemblyman wrote in the letter, adding that the contaminants have been linked to several potentially life-threatening conditions, such as cancer’”the article reads.

Further monitoring and regulation of these contaminants has won the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo, who wants to ensure there isregular testing and fixing of water systems in an effort to mitigate public health risks. Under the new regulations, public water suppliers will be required to test and monitor their water supply quarterly as opposed to annually as required by the Suffolk County Department of Health. Learn more about what these contaminants arehere.

Emerging contaminants are just one of many threats facing Long Island waters. At the Long Island Clean Water Partnership, we are committed to finding solutions to our water quality problems including the critical long term funding that will be required to protect and restore our waters for the future. Join us to ensure your drinking water is safe now and for generations to come.Click here to learn more.

New York State Legislature Passes Environmental Legislation

Good news from Albany!  The New York State Legislature has come to a close and with it, the passage of four important pieces of environmental legislation.

Climate Change

The New York State Legislature passed a groundbreaking piece of legislation this June, aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change in New York.  This climate action plan is the most ambitious in the United States.

The bill, the “Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA),” requires net-zero emissions by 2050 and 70% renewable energy by 2030. The goal is effectively to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, and replace those sources with cleaner, renewable energy.

The CLCPA set up a process to create a scoping plan, with guidance by a new 22-member Climate Action Council. The Council will report on current greenhouse gas emissions and progress, and adjust its plan as needed, every four years.

The bill also focuses on “climate justice” – directing 40 percent of all state investments in climate and clean energy to “disadvantaged communities,” areas most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Banning Toxic Chemicals

State lawmakers also passed a bill that would limit 1,4-dioxane in household products, to be effective at the end of 2022. 1,4-dioxane is an emerging contaminant that has been found in Long Island drinking water wells. It is more prevalent in Long Island’s water than anywhere else in the state and is classified by the EPA as a “likely carcinogen.”  The chemical is difficult and expensive to treat.

Another bill bans PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances), commonly used in firefoating foam, from being used or manufactured in New York. PFAS is a toxic chemical that has been linked to liver problems, low birth weight, some cancers and other health issues.  It has been detected in groundwater supplies at several sites across Long Island.

Water Pollution Lawsuits

And finally, state lawmakers passed a bill that would allow public water authorities to take water polluters to court in New York.  Water authorities would low have three years to sue polluters once contamination is detected, instead of when the contamination occurred.

These pieces of legislation would make great strides for the protection of our air, land and water. These important bills now await a signature from Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Blue-Green Algae Blooms Hit Southampton and East Hampton

A range of threats to Long Island’s waters

Before summer officially begins some Long Island residents are already being told not to swim or wade in certain waters. Mill Pond in Southampton and Wainscott Pond in East Hampton have been found with harmful cyanobacteria blooms, also known as blue-green algae, according to a sampling by Stony Brook University. Families in the area have been told to keep their pets and children away as contact with the water can lead to various illnesses like nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, skin, eye or throat irritation, or allergic reactions or breathing difficulties.

There are many threats to Long Island’s waters, including storm water runoff, which can wash fertilizers, pesticides, household cleaners, and motor oil from lawns, driveways, and streets into local streams and sewer systems, and failing and leaky septic systems that pollute our waters. Both can contribute to these toxic algal blooms that now show up regularly even in the bucolic, less densely developed areas of Long Island, and which remain a constant threat to our health and the environment.

Nitrogen from wastewater is one of the leading culprits of contamination, yet is controllable. There are several programs the Long Island Clean Water Partnership has helped to put in place to allow homeowners to upgrade or replace these systems with advanced wastewater treatment systems that can substantially reduce nitrogen pollution. Water is part of every Long Islander’s everyday life and we need to clean up what’s been polluted and protect it for future generations. Learn more about replacing your septic system by checking out Reclaim Our Water and joining the Long Island Clean Water Partnership!

Long Island’s Drinking Water Found to be Most Contaminated in State

NYPIRG Releases Report on Statewide Contamination

During the week of Memorial Day, the New York Public Interest Research Group announced findings that were, perhaps, unsurprising to many Long Islanders. A study conducted on emerging contaminants throughout New York State found that Long Island has the highest concentration of dangerous chemicals in the state.

Using data collected between 2013 and 2016, the report’s primary conclusion was that one or more emerging contaminants are currently a direct threat to the drinking water supplies of 16 million New Yorkers. For Long Island, a total of 19 emerging contaminants were found to exist, including strontium, chlorate and chromium-6 and 1,4-dioxane, both likely carcinogens. Nassau County had the greatest share of contaminated areas on the island.

For those unfamiliar with “emerging contaminants”, these compounds are either only recently known, only recently detectable with available science or previously had not been present. Most frequently, emerging contaminants originate from industry, including spills and the disposal of wastewater or from personal care products. The emerging contaminant Long Islanders are likely most familiar with is 1,4-dioxane. It is believed that Long Island has the greatest concentrations of 1,4-dioxane in the entire country as a result of the past presence of the chemical in paints, primers and inks. Today, an estimated 46 percent of personal care products are found to have 1,4-dioxane present. 1,4-dioxane is known as a Synthetic Organic Compound as it is not a naturally occurring substance.

While this report certainly confirmed many Long Islanders’ fears on the declining quality of the island’s drinking water, it is important to note that most communities on Long Island do not have contaminated water. As Stony Brook Professor and Partnership member Dr. Christopher Gobler noted while speaking to Newsday, however, “It's a misnomer to lump all of Long Island's drinking water into a single category. If you were to do an honest comparison of the data for the water that Long Islanders drink, you'll find plenty of supplies that compare favorably with New York City." The most notable area of pure drinking water on Long Island is the Long Island Pine Barrens.

Overall, this report provides a drastic call to action for Long Islanders to join in the work of reversing the trend of declining water quality. Without continued efforts to improve the island’s environment, daily life in many communities will be irreparably changed forever. All life depends on clean and safe drinking water. We must make our efforts worthy of this fact.

For those interested in reading the NYPIRG’s full report, please visit nypirg.org. For more information on ways you can help save Long Island’s drinking water, check out our Take Action page.