Testing Our Waters
This past summer Kevin participated in a nation-wide effort commissioned by the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assess coastal waters. The National Coastal
Condition Assessment project was initiated to provide a comprehensive assessment for
coastal waters across the U.S. The program strives to answer key questions about the
condition of our nation’s waters based on indicators for water quality and ecological
health, and to identify key stressors to these systems. Sampling parameters included
water chemistry, pathogens, benthic macroinvertebrates, sediment composition and
toxicity, fish tissue and physical habitat.
Over the course of 9 full days, Kevin worked with scientists from the environmental
engineering firm Tetra Tech to collect samples and take recordings at 14 different
locations from Riverhead to Montauk and the Great South Bay. Monitoring water quality
is an important aspect of every Waterkeeper’s job because often this information forms
the basis of policy and management decisions. Havens Beach is case and point. Kevin’s
efforts at Havens have helped to prove the presence of harmful bacteria that threaten
public health. Without this definitive information there would be no corrective action.