North Hempstead Beach Park in Port Washington received an A- in the nonprofit Save the Sound’s water quality rankings.

The town-owned beach was the highest of four in the North Shore graded in the biennial report, receiving its highest grade in five years.

North Hempstead Bar Beach in Port Washington received a B grade for the fourth consecutive year while Manorhaven Beach and Village Club at Sands Point, which is privately owned, earned C+ and C grades, respectively. 

Manorhaven Beach was also included in the 10 lowest-scoring beaches in the region from 2020 to 2022.

Of the over 200 beaches included in the report, 78% of Long Island Sound beaches earned A or B grades, according to a release. 

“Water quality at beaches across Long Island Sound has come so far – but we may be at a tipping point. Increasing rainfall brought on by climate change threatens to undo decades of progress unless we act now,” Vice President of Water Protection David Ansel said. “We’re calling on elected officials to prioritize investment in repairs and improvements to sewer lines and stormwater systems. Steps we take in the next five years may well set the course for the health of Long Island Sound over the next 50.”

Poor water quality can be attributed to, among other things, pollutants in stormwater runoff that reach the beaches, the nonprofit said. 

“There’s abundant impervious surface covering extensive areas in our region that precipitation cannot penetrate. Instead, it runs off our roofs and driveways, the streets, parking lots, and sidewalks of our neighborhoods,” the nonprofit said. “It has to go somewhere, so torrents of stormwater make their way into storm drains that discharge into nearby waterways or run directly into Long Island Sound or the rivers and streams that feed it.”

Septic tanks pose another challenge to increasing water quality. Earlier this year the North Hempstead Town Board allocated $3.1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to convert businesses on Plandome Road in Manhasset to a main sewer line.

The town will also be continuing a program started last year where one million oysters will be placed in Manhasset Bay. A single adult oyster may filter up to 50 gallons of water every day.

North Hempstead Council Member Mariann Dalimonte, whose district 6 includes Manorhaven Beach, North Hempstead Beach Park and Bar Beach, said she is committed to improving the water quality at Manorhaven.

“The Town of North Hempstead takes the quality of our waterways very seriously. I was very pleased to see the grades at North Hempstead Beach Park and Bar Beach, but clearly work still needs to be done to improve the water quality at Manorhaven Beach,” Dalimonte said in a statement. “I can assure the residents of North Hempstead that I will work proactively with my colleagues on the Town Board and other partners in government to enhance Manorhaven Beach’s water quality.”

North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said the report, released on the first day of summer on June 21, shows where more work could be done.

 “When they [residents] see results like this, that we have some excellent beaches and some that really need our attention, they will join in our efforts,” DeSena said in a statement. “And they’ll support what we spend in our budget … getting safer water quality.”

Save the Sound compiled data for the report from information collected by health departments for each community, which is uploaded to the Environmental Protection Agency Water Quality Portal database.