The most recent water-quality report by the Concerned Citizens of Montauk revealed elevated bacteria levels across all testing sites except for Napeague Harbor. The explanation behind the increase, according to the organization, is the considerable rainfall last Thursday and Friday and the rise in temperature.
The highest, and most unsafe, levels of the enterococcus bacteria remain in Montauk. Lake Montauks Little Reed Pond Creek, Nature Preserve Beach, East Creek, West Creek, and Benson Drive Culvert, all indicated numbers well above 104, the baseline for unsafe levels of bacteria. The largest number read in Lake Montauk was culvert at 9,804.
Additional high levels of bacteria were found outside of the Montauk area: Accabonac Harbor in Springs, Louse Point Beach in Amagansett, and Northwest Creek’s culvert. In total, seven locations in the Montauk, Amagansett, and East Hampton areas tested as high and unsafe levels of enterococcus bacteria.
Medium levels of enterococcus bacteria, between levels 36 and 104, were sprinkled throughout the three communities. Surfside Place’s outfall pipe did not contain any water, an unusual result. C.C.O.M. said it will keep close tabs on the medium bacteria levels found at Ditch Plain and Surfside Place.
Additionally, the organization, with aid from the Gobler Laboratory at Stony Brook University, is keeping a careful eye on harmful algal blooms. The first detection occurred on May 29, and the most recent confirmation took place on Monday in Wainscott Pond. At the moment, the levels of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), registers low levels in Fort Pond, but the numbers appear to be rising.
