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This year’s Save the Sound beach report showed a slight dip in top grades for New York and Connecticut beaches — but overall, water quality is on the rise.
The annual report, released by the nonprofit Save the Sound, gave “A” and “B” grades to fewer beaches than in years past — a 6 percent drop — yet still found steady improvement since the organization began compiling the data in 2019.
More than 200 beaches were graded based on samples collected from 2022 through 2024, from Orient into Queens, the Bronx and Westchester.
The group pulls complex data from the EPA’s Water Quality Exchange database and local sources, then simplifies it for beachgoers who want to know if water is safe for swimming — and compiles it all into a simple grading document.
The grades rely heavily on weekly samples for pathogen indicator bacteria. When those levels exceed the state’s safety criteria, it’s considered a “failure,” meaning there’s a higher risk of getting sick — sometimes triggering beach advisories or closures.
Illnesses that can result from these pathogens include gastrointestinal issues, respiratory problems, sore throats, hepatitis and giardia.
“2024 was actually a fairly wet year in terms of cumulative precipitation during the swimming season,” said Peter Linderoth, director of healthy waters and lands at Save the Sound. “So one of the results that we highlighted was that the increase in wet weather failures was notable across the board.”
Polluted stormwater runoff, aging sewer systems and outdated on-site wastewater treatment are major contributors to beach failures. Linderoth said beaches across the Sound need upgrades, especially in western Long Island.
“A lot of the North Shore of Long Island are on cesspools or septic tanks and they can contribute to the pathogen indicator bacteria in the water,” he said.
He stressed the importance of following guidance from local health departments, particularly for swimmers who are older or immunocompromised.
Concerned? You can click here to download the complete report.
“If there’s an advisory because of high pathogen levels, swimmers should really take that into account,” Linderoth said.
Three of the four New York beaches that earned “A+” grades were located on the North Fork — with the lone Nassau A+ coming out of Bayville — but then as you head west, “C” and “D” ratings become more common, with some exceptions.
Sunken Meadow State Park, by far Long Island’s largest and most popular Sound beach area by volume, was broken up into two beaches in the report. The three-year average for what’s listed as Sunken Meadow State Park was approximately a B+ . Further doing the math from the report, the three-year average for what’s listed as Sunken Meadow State Park East was an A-.
As for the lowest-scored public beaches in the region, Long Island had a great showing, with only one making that list:
Note: If you comb through the report and see some F’s and D-‘s, not these are private beaches, as only public beaches made the above grids.
The group does offer this word of advise when digesting lower scores:
“If you see your favorite beach’s name on the list of lowest-scoring public beaches in the region, or if you see consistent yellow, orange, or red boxes in the grids of grades in the back half of the Beach Report, don’t be alarmed,” the report reads. “Consider it an opportunity to learn more about a potential problem your community might not have been aware of and a place to take action.”
Climate change is adding another layer of concern, Linderoth said. More frequent, intense rainfall means more polluted stormwater runoff.
“It’s really important that even if a beach is doing well right now, what kind of safeguard will be in place to protect it from increased rain events and polluted waters reaching it,” he said.
Still, most beaches along the Sound received passing grades.
And Linderoth said that’s a reason to feel good — and get outside.
“I think people should really get out and enjoy the beaches,” he said. “I think the Long Island Sound has come a long way over the years and I think the beach report is one place that shows that water quality is, in fact, improving.”
Top: Long Island Sound photo by Anke Talbot on Unsplash
