The Suffolk County Department of Health
Services today issued an advisory to take precautions before recreating in the
Long Island Sound near the Greenport wastewater treatment facility located off
of Inlet Pond County Park in Greenport. This advisory follows the NY-Alert notification of a discharge laden
with activated sludge particles at the location following heavy rainfall
yesterday. Activated sludge could potentially contain pathogenic organisms.
Corrective
actions to mitigate the discharge have been implemented. However, the
wastewater treatment facility is currently not working under normal conditions
and only partially treated effluent is being discharged.
Suffolk
County Health officials are working closely with the NYSDEC, which has
jurisdiction over the permitting and enforcement at the facility, and with the
management at the Greenport Village plant.
Residents
and fisherman* are advised to avoid contact with waters from this portion of
the Long Island Sound until conditions at the Greenport wastewater treatment
facility improve. Keep children and pets away from the area, as well. If
contact does occur, rinse off with clean water immediately. Seek medical
attention if after exposure you experience nausea, vomiting or diarrhea; skin,
eye or throat irritation, or allergic reactions or breathing difficulties.
* The harvest
of shellfish in this area is prohibited at all times by NYSDEC.
More
information is forthcoming as health officials learn more about the situation.
suffolkcountyny.gov
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