Sewage Spill in Rye Prompts Warning Not to Swim in Sound Near Rye and Mamaroneck

A sewage spill in Rye has prompted the Westchester County Health Department to warn people to stay out of the waters of Long Island Sound near Milton Harbor and Mamaroneck Harbor.

Affected beaches include Beach Point Club, Orienta Beach Club, Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht Club, Shore Acres Pointe and Harbor Island Park Beach, all in Mamaroneck; and American Yacht Club, Shenorock Shore Club, Coveleigh Club and Greenhaven Association, all in Rye.

The spill took place yesterday, near the Blind Brook sewage treatment plant, in Rye. This map shows the approximate location. You can read the Health Department’s advisory below the map. We will post updates as we receive them.

[googlemaps https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&q=141+Oakland+Beach+Avenue,+rye&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=141+Oakland+Beach+Ave,+Rye,+Westchester,+New+York+10580&gl=us&t=m&z=14&ll=40.965525,-73.690318&output=embed&w=425&h=350]

Here’s the advisory issued by the Health Department last night:

For Immediate Release: July 15, 2013
BOATER AND SWIMMER ADVISORY:
AVOID LONG ISLAND SOUND NEAR MILTON HARBOR IN RYE AND MAMARONECK HARBOR

As a precaution, the Westchester County Department of Health is advising all recreational boaters and swimmers in Rye Harbor, Milton Harbor and Greenhaven, in Rye, and in Mamaroneck Harbor to avoid contact with Long Island Sound until further notice due to an ongoing sludge force main break.

There will be no swimming at these beaches tomorrow and until further notice: Beach Point Club, Orienta Beach Club, Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht Club, Shore Acres Pointe and Harbor Island Park Beach, all in Mamaroneck; and American Yacht Club, Shenorock Shore Club, Coveleigh Club and Greenhaven Association, all in Mamaroneck. [Sic; the latter clubs are in Rye.]

An underground force main break near Blind Brook has released sludge close to where the Blind Brook empties into Long Island Sound, in the vicinity of the Rye Marina on Stuyvesant Avenue near Milton Road in Rye. The Westchester County Department of Environmental Facilities took the force main out of service at about 2:15 p.m., but repair efforts are hindered by high tide. Low tide begins at about 4:30 a.m. tomorrow and the Department’s contractor will be on site at that time to begin repairs. It is not known how much sludge has entered Long Island Sound due to the force main break.

The county health department will sample the water tomorrow. Once results are received and evaluated, at the earliest on Wednesday afternoon, the health department will determine whether to reopen the beaches and lift the advisory or to sample the water again.

Posted by Tom Andersen, NY program and communications coordinator for Save the Sound.

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