Community Corner
Would You Swim With a 1-in-28 Chance of Getting Sick?
Congressman Israel wants EPA to revise guidelines on beach water quality standards.
Swimming at Long Island's stunning beaches is a gamble that can be hazardous to your health, a new report finds.
Last week, Rep. Steve Israel, D-Dix Hills, called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to do something about it.
At a press conference in Glen Cove Friday, Israel cited a recent report by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) which raised significant concerns about the quality of water at beaches across the nation. The event was held at Crescent Beach, which has been closed for the past five summers because of contamination.
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The study indicated that EPA-suggested bacteria limits allow for beaches to remain open when one-in-28 swimmers could become ill.
“When families enjoy a day at the beach this summer, they shouldn’t have to worry that they’ll end up ill from pathogens in the water," Israel said. "Right now, one-in-28 swimmers may become ill from waterborne pathogens if they swim in water that the EPA deems acceptable.""I find this simply unacceptable," Israel said.
The recent NRDC report used data collected from 361 New York beaches, including 269 in Nassau, Suffolk and Queens counties.
The EPA criteria for ocean water allows levels of harmful pathogens that the EPA acknowledges could result in up to 36 out of 1,000 people who swim in the water getting sick. This translates to one out of every 28 beach-goers.
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Israel called for the EPA to review the NRDC’s report and work to address the issues it raised.
NRDC’s “Testing the Waters 2013” can be found on their website at www.NRDC.org/beaches.Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
