Greenport wastewater study may turn parts of Long Island Sound red next week

The Long Island Sound may briefly turn into the Red Sea.

Southold Town residents shouldn’t be alarmed, however, if parts of the waterway take on a pink or red hue next week. That’s because state and federal researchers are using a tracer dye to track how treated wastewater from Greenport’s sewage treatment plant moves through the Sound.

The study, conducted by the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, will run from Monday, Oct. 26, through Friday, Oct. 30. The dye, Rhodamine WT, is approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and will not cause environmental harm, according to DEC.

Greenport Mayor Kevin Stuessi said he welcomed the testing.

“The maintenance of sewers is extremely important to both the village and the regional environments,” Mr. Stuessi told The Suffolk Times Tuesday. “This study is something that was last done well over a decade ago, and we’re very thankful for the state to come back and look at things again so that we will learn more about the condition of our existing infrastructure.”

The only dye injection is scheduled for the morning of Oct. 26 and will last 12.4 hours, officials said. The discoloration may be visible from shore.

The data gathered from the study will be used to assess the required shellfishing closure surrounding the wastewater treatment plant outfall. It also aims to enhance emergency readiness and the ability to respond to events related to any potential spills or untreated discharges at the wastewater treatment plant. 

Mr. Stuessi said the study is an important addition following the $2.65 million in state aid coming to the village, including $500,000 for park improvements and $2.15 million for sewer and water-quality infrastructure meant to support housing and protect the bay. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni announced the funding on Oct. 5.

For more information on the study, contact DEC’s Division of Marine Resources Shellfisheries Bureau at 631-444-0492.