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Politics & Government

Heavy Rainfalls Forecast Bright Future for Easton's Beach, UV Plant Passes First Test

Here's a look at how Newport is working to prevent its share of stormwater pollutants from entering Easton's Bay.

Last weekend’s heavy rainfall provided an opportunity to test the effectiveness of the at Easton’s Beach for the first time - and the preliminarily results seem to show that the plant is working. 

The plant funnels storm water drainage off through bright UV lights, which kill the Enterococci bacteria before it is flushed into the bay. When there is a heavy rainfall, anything on the street flows through the drains and into the harbor, which has historically elevated the bacteria levels far above the limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Although the plant has been operational since the spring, earlier samples returned counts that far exceeded the EPA standard. Julia Forgue, director of utilities, said in a that that was because the work to redirect a state Department of Transportation (DOT) drain had not been completed because the city was unable to get onto Middletown property.

The DOT drain has since then been redirected, and now that water is also passing through the UV plant. This weekend’s sample counts fell within the EPA standards.  

According to Forgue, the UV plants kicks in when it measures a quarter-inch of rain, which was Sunday at 8 a.m. Five samples are taken and reported as the geometric mean.

The bacteria count of the water before it passed through the plant was 15,531 on Sunday and 30 after it was treated. On Monday, the untreated counts approximated 24,000 and were reduced to 10 after it was treated.

“It looks very positive,” said Forgue after the council meeting.

At Wednesday’s City Council meeting, Councilor Jeanne-Marie Napolitano pointed out the importance to clarify that the protocol for beach closures is based on rain levels, not the amount of bacteria found in the water.
 
“It’s important to get that out there...a lot people are saying it didn’t work,” she said.

According to the office of Easton's Beach, the protocol is that the beach must be closed if there is a rain event of a half-inch or more in a 24-hour period and water testing is required. If that testing exceeds EPA limits of 104, retesting must occur.

The plan is that once the city can demonstrate the UV plant is effective, the Department of Health (DOH), will lift the beach closure requirement.

In a , Mayor Stephen Waluk stressed the urgency to reduce the number of beach closures.  

“When it comes to Easton’s Beach, we have had dozens upon dozens of beach closures, which shuts down the beach and has a major economic impact on all of the city of Newport," Waluk said. "We are the City by the Sea. We need clean beaches."

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