Taking on Bacteria

Six high-priority areas have been identified in Montauk for immediate water quality correction. Early this month, the East Hampton Town Board heard from its water quality advisory committee about projects to limit pollution in Lake Montauk and along the downtown ocean shore. These are welcome, important efforts.

Alarms had been raised by the closing of the South Lake Drive bathing beach because of bacterial contamination as well as the results of ongoing tests sponsored by Concerned Citizens of Montauk and the Surfrider Foundation. In the C.C.O.M.-Surfrider reports, fecal bacteria had routinely been found at levels harmful to human health. This level also was reported from an outfall pipe near the Atlantic Terrace resort. 

Most immediately, the town will seek to install antimicrobial filters to reduce the threat coming from the end of the drainpipe at Surfside Place. At the same time, it will begin looking for ways to intercept groundwater traveling from the Ditch Plain neighborhood toward the lake. Bioswales, or rain gardens, may soon appear along West Lake Drive and an underground barrier may be installed near Duryea Avenue. 

Officials might have been slow on the uptake in the past because the water tests had been conducted outside their supervision, but it is hard to argue credibly against the data. Year in and year out, the groups have identified trouble spots with remarkable consistency. To us, the town’s willingness to look at the numbers — and try to do something about them — is a terrific example of a public-private win.