(Hauppauge, NY –November 19, 2014) – Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone was joined by IBM vice president of Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs, Stanley Litow, members of the County’s Departments of Health and Planning, Suffolk County Legislators, community and elected leaders, and regional environmental advocates today to reveal the recommendations issued in IBM’s Smarter Cities Challenge report and highlight Suffolk County’s progress on recommendations.
County Executive Bellone announced the 11 recommendations made by IBM to address the region’s water quality and nitrogen pollution crisis, and addressed how each one of the suggestions will be or has been integrated into the County’s Reclaim Our Water initiative.
“Protecting our water supply from excess nitrogen and various pollutants, along with restoring our coastal vegetation for storm defense continues to be my highest priority,” said County Executive Steve Bellone. “I am extremely thankful for IBM’s generosity as our residents, business owners and tourists will benefit from the recommendations provided in this report. We have incorporated these suggestions into our action plan. We must continue to invest in water management, wastewater infrastructure and technology in order to protect the future of our County.”
"We at IBM are gratified that Suffolk County is implementing the recommendations made by our top talent when they were here last summer as part of IBM's Smarter Cities Challenge program," said Stanley S. Litow, IBM's vice president