Beach
Closures Prompt Action Against Cesspools
By
TIM FAULKNER/ecoRI.org News staff
WARWICK
— It’s not always easy to see, but water pollution remains a big problem in
Narragansett Bay, according to officials. Unsafe bacteria levels have caused
107 beach closings this year, up from 54 last year and 73 in 2011.
“When
it rains in Rhode Island we swim in pollution,” said Save The Bay’s Baykeeper
Tom Kuctcher during a July 31 press event at Oakland Beach.
Oakland
Beach has been closed 27 days this year, the most in Rhode Island. The main
culprit, state officials and environment experts say, is stormwater runoff.
A
rainy spring and summer has flushed high quantities of lawn fertilizer, animal
waste, Dumpster leakage, car oil and overflowing cesspools and septic systems
into the bay, according to the state Department of Environmental Management
(DEM), the Department of Health and environmental groups. The sewage and other
pollution create harmful bacteria that threatens the health of swimmers, fish
and other marine life.
The
press event was held nearly 10 years after a massive fish kill wiped out a
million fish in Greenwich Bay. That trajedy also occurred during a summer of
heavy rain and a high number of beach closures.
Save
The Bay executive director Jonathan Stone blamed cesspools and septic systems
as the main contributors to the beach-water pollution. Cesspools, which are
often nothing more than perforated steel buckets buried in shallow pits, allow
sewage to flow under and above ground into storm drains and waterways that lead
to the bay.
Although new cesspools are prohibited in Rhode Island, some 25,000
are still in use. Sewage connections and low-interests loans are available to
help property owners replace cesspools, but there are no laws requiring owners
to make the switch.
At
a cost of $25,000 or more, new septic system are too costly for many to make
the switch, said Rep. Joseph Shekarchi, D-Warwick. While there is unanimous
support for the legislation and fixing the problem, he said cost is the biggest
impediment to getting rid of cesspools. “It’s just a matter of dollars,”
Shekarchi said.
The
bill’s sponsor, Rep. Teresa Tanzi, D-Narragansett, said those paying for sewage
service are footing the bill for keeping the bay clean. She also noted that
tourism and businesses lose money when beaches close. “I understand it’s a
difficult (economic) time but it’s time for them to step up and pay their fair
share," she said.
Oakland
Beach overlooks often-polluted Greenwich Bay. The 5-square-mile cove is shallow
and its water doesn’t circulate adequately with Narragansett Bay to flush out
pollutants. It’s also surrounded by one of the most densely built communities
in the state. Asphalt is ubiquitous, and several local neighborhoods have
balked at mandates to eliminate cesspools.
A
handful of City Council members and members of the General Assembly attended the
July 31 press event and promised to address the problem. They all expressed
support for legislation requiring septic upgrades when a property is sold, but
the bill has failed in recent years to go to a vote.
Save
The Bay promised to continue advocating for the legislation while also working
with cities and towns to reduce sewage and stormwater runoff.
Stone sited soem
success stories: The massive combined sewage overflow tunnel and underground
storage tanks run by the Narragansett Bay Commission for the Providence area
have dramatically improved the health of the upper bay; a 2-year-old stormwater
drainage system at Bristol Town Beach has practically eliminated closures at
what used to one of the most polluted beaches in the state.
Save
The Bay outreach is part of a larger state effort to raise awareness about the
costs of stormwater runoff. Providence and many surrounding cities and towns,
as well as Middletown, are looking at forming stormwater utility districts — a
fee and incentive program for reducing impervious surfaces such as parking lots
and driveways.
The
problem of beach closures isn't limited to Narragansett Bay. Rhode Island lakes
and ponds, such as Yawgoog Pond in Hopkinton, also have had to close this
summer because of high bacteria counts. Many of the same solutions apply to any
polluted body of water, Stone said.
“We
know what needs to be done,” Stone said. “The beach closures we’re seeing this
year are attributed to local pollution.“
Before
visiting a Rhode Island beach, check the state Department of Health’s website for current information.
