A trio of Southampton luxury beaches were closed due to an alleged toxic lake. Reportedly, pipes from Lake Agawam opened into the ocean, pumping pollutants into the water. Many regard Lake Agawam as one of the most polluted lakes in New York. With pollutants now allegedly flowing from the lake to the beaches, residents are not happy.
"It's a s-?-t show," one resident told the New York Post. "Old septic tanks and runoff with pesticides from everybody's landscaping. They are about to open the floodgates of the most expensive s-?-t in New York onto our beaches."
Meanwhile, Former Southampton mayor Jessie Warren alleged that officials in the town are pumping polluted water straight into the sea. Warren wrote, "The water potentially contains toxic algae and enterococcus bacteria, often found in fecal matter... Opening the drain pipe during Harmful Algae Bloom season (HABs) when the weather is unseasonably hot and dry is not a good practice and for years we avoided this."
The three Southampton luxury beaches that were closed were Old Town, Gin and Cryder beaches. The Village of Southampton explained the decision to open the pipe on the toxic lake. It was apparently to stop flooding in the area. They said, "Due to heavy rains the beach pipe must be opened to lower water levels of Lake Agawam and Old Town Pond."
Southampton Luxury Beaches Closed
Officials fired back at the former mayor for the accusation. Southampton revealed the luxury beaches are now closed to swimming. They shared, "With appropriate signage to alert beachgoers that swimming is prohibited."
What's atypical is that Southampton normally drains the lake during the colder months. As far as pollutants, there's a number of causes for the issue.
The Lake Agawam Conservancy's site says, "Pollutants from roadways, lawn chemicals and impacts from old septic systems throughout our large watershed, which extends throughout all residences and businesses in Southampton Village, are killing this freshwater Lake, and causing harmful algal blooms to decimate the ecosystem [that] can cause serious health problems for people and our pets."
So what's the solution? None of the officials appear to have given one at this time.
