There’s something in the water…
Back in June the New York Post released an article naming Mecox Bay in Southampton Town as one of the top 10 worst beaches for fecal matter in the nation.
It was discovered via data from the Surfrider Foundation’s Blue Water Task Force that the landlocked body of saltwater in Water Mill contains high levels of enterococcus bacteria — a pathogen linked to human waste. There are about 300 residential waterfront property owners surrounding the 1,100 acres of surface waters, and pollutants from surrounding development, farmlands and businesses as far away as the heavily used Bridgehampton Commons are factors contributing to the pollution and ultimate fragility of the bay.
The fact is it’s highly unlikely that less people will be residing here in the future, and while it isn’t cheap to switch antiquated cesspool or septic systems to Innovative/Alternative septic systems, the newly formed Mecox Bay Conservancy, a nonprofit organization helmed by former Southampton Town supervisor Jay Schneiderman, is here to help.
“This group was formed earlier this year primarily because property owners around Mecox Bay were growing more concerned about the water quality,” Schneiderman says. “There’s the Lake Agawam Conservancy [in Southampton] and the Friends of Georgica Pond Foundation [in Wainscott] so residents started asking ‘why isn’t Mecox getting any money?’ You know, you don’t get the money if you don’t ask for it.”
As executive director of the organization, Schneiderman is working closely with both the Southampton Town trustees and Dr. Christopher Gobler, advisor and director of the New York State Center for Clean Water Technology, to improve the health of Mecox Bay and its watershed, which includes over a dozen tributaries such as Philips Pond, Mill Pond, Hayground Cove and Sam’s Creek.
Converting sanitary systems to better, newer ones that remove nitrogen is a large piece of the puzzle, Schneiderman says, noting the Conservancy has already committed $50,000 to the effort. He also noted $100,000 was applied for by Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Studies to fund a watershed study.
According to Schneiderman, it could cost as much as $80,000 in some cases to switch older cesspool systems found throughout the homes along the Mecox watershed to an IA system. So far, the Conservancy has held one kick-off fundraising event that about 90 people attended at a private home last month.
“It’s a massive undertaking,” he says of switching the sanitary systems of thousands of homes found throughout the watershed. “But there’s never been a better time in my mind for obtaining funds for better water quality.”
Periodically, the trustees open a cut to the ocean at Mecox, allowing overflowing water to leave the technically landlocked saltwater pond as pollutants are naturally (and physically) flushed out. This proves more difficult to do presently, as the area is in the same spot for nesting of piping plovers and endangered species, which often prevents the trustees from opening the cut.
“The cut gets managed the best it can,” Schneiderman says, “but sometimes the trustees have their hands tied. A lot of the damage is reversable, but we are going to need help from the town, the county the state and the federal government. But I’m optimistic.”
