Closing the Curtain in Mamaroneck Harbor

I had the dubious honor of covering the story when Mamaroneck and Westchester County first made the decision, in 1984 or ’85, to close the beaches on Mamaroneck Harbor every time in rained a half-inch or more. The rainwater carried so much bacteria into the harbor that it made it unsafe to swim.

Mamaroneck isn’t the only place to have that problem, of course, and various efforts are underway to solve it. The so-called Smart Sponge in Norwalk is one example; the separation of combined sewers throughout the area is another.

In Mamaroneck, they installed a large, permeable curtain designed to let water into the beach area but keep bacteria out. It seems to be working, as the Journal News reports.