Report Shows Steady Improvement in Long Island Sound Water Quality
Billions in wastewater and infrastructure upgrades helped lift open-water grades, while climate change and stormwater overflows remain threats, officials said.
- On Tuesday, the nonprofit Save the Sound released its 2026 Long Island Sound Report Card, showing water quality improved or remained stable across all five open-water regions, with 56% of 62 bay segments receiving A or B grades.
- Approximately $1.2 billion spent in Connecticut alone over 20 years to address combined sewer overflows, plus state investments through the Clean Water Fund and General Permit for Nitrogen Discharges, have driven improvements across Connecticut and New York.
- The Eastern and Central Basins received A grades while the Western Narrows rose from an F to a D for the first time since Save the Sound began publishing in 2008; the Long Island Sound Partnership reported 2025 saw the lowest hypoxia levels since tracking began in 1987.
- Bill Lucey of Save the Sound said Tuesday that despite some "ups and downs" with the Trump administration, water quality improvements have continued unabated, while officials acknowledged ongoing challenges from climate change and coastal development.
- Rising water temperatures from climate change could reverse recent gains as warmer water holds less oxygen, yet U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4th District, noted bipartisan support for conservation persists under EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, a former Republican congressman from Long Island.
19 Articles
19 Articles
The Toronto Star
Report shows steady improvement in Long Island Sound water quality
Billions of dollars spent on wastewater treatment and other infrastructure upgrades in Connecticut and New York have resulted in apparent improvements in Long Island Sound’s water quality, according to a report from the ecological nonprofit Save the Sound.
Long Island Sound water quality is improving, but needs work, experts say
The Long Island Sound’s water quality may be improving, but that still leaves room for concern at many of the bays that surround the region’s northern shore, according to a report card issued by Save the Sound, a regional environmental nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the environment of the Long Island Sound region....
Long Island Sound Water Quality Improves, Fueling Hope for a Comeback
Internewscast Internewscast Billions of dollars invested in wastewater treatment and infrastructure improvements across Connecticut… This Post: Long Island Sound Water Quality Improves, Fueling Hope for a Comeback first appeared on Internewscast
Fox Weather
New York PostLong Island Sound shows signs of a comeback as water quality continues to improve
LONG ISLAND SOUND - Billions of dollars in wastewater and infrastructure upgrades across Connecticut and New York appear to be paying off, with a new report finding continued improvements in the water quality of the Long Island Sound.Save the Sound released its 2026 Long Island Sound Report Card, showing that water quality improved or remained stable across all five open-water regions of the Sound.BEACH NIGHTMARE: 2 DOZEN BEACHES IN MASSACHUSETT…
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