Save the Sound released its 2023 Long Island Sound Beaches Report, rating how healthy the water is for swimming at more than 200 beaches around the region.
“We are seeing statistical improvements in water quality,” said Peter Linderoth, Save the Sound’s director of water quality. “Over 78% of our beaches received an A or B. That’s very good news.”
The nonprofit publishes the report every two years, using federal data to review how often a beach’s water was identified as unsafe for swimming and how high the level of contamination was.
About 22% of the beaches around the strait received a C or lower.
“We don’t list low ratings to shame or blame. We do so because identifying problems at specific beaches can spur conversations between residents and beach operators to get to the heart of the problem and hopefully improve those ratings,” he said. Linderoth. “These are beaches where you can believe Save the Sound and others are focused on improving ratings.”
Based on 2020-2022 data, Save the Sound identified the following 10 highest-scoring beaches in Connecticut:
- Hole-in-the-Wall Beach, East Lyme: A+
- Esker Point Beach, Groton: A+
- Surf Club Beach, Madison: A+
- Great Captain Island Beach, Greenwich: A+
- Noank Pier, Groton: A+
- East Wharf Beach, Madison: A+
- Quigley Beach, Stamford: A+
- Anchor Beach (Merwin Pt) #2, Milford: A+
- Burying Hill Beach, Westport: A+
- White Sand Beach, Old Lyme: A+
The following Connecticut beaches were some of the lowest-scoring beaches in the region, based on 2020-2022 water quality data:
- Green Harbor Beach, New London: C-
- Byram Park Beach, Greenwich: C-
- Rocky Neck State Park Beach, East Lyme: C
- Pleasure Beach, Bridgeport: C
- Seabluff Beach, West Haven: C+
- Anchor Beach (Merwin Pt) #1: C+
