Avoid contact with Huntington Harbor water due to pipe break, county says

Suffolk County officials on Monday urged residents to stay out of the water in Huntington Harbor until a wastewater treatment plant near the head of the harbor can be repaired.

The Suffolk County Department of Health Services issued an advisory Monday afternoon “out of an abundance of caution” after effluent was discharged from a broken pipe on Friday. An official who inspected the pipe over the weekend, according to a health department statement, said the plant operator had taken appropriate steps to minimize the discharge.

County officials are working closely with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which regulates the plant, and with the management of the facility, said Grace Kelly-McGovern, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health Services. She said the department did not issue the advisory until three days after the discharge due to a lack of staffing.

Residents are advised to avoid contact with waters in Huntington Harbor for at least 24 hours (two complete tidal cycles) after the repair of the wastewater treatment plant has been confirmed. Keep children and pets away from the area, as well.

If contact does occur, rinse off with clean water immediately. Seek medical attention if, after exposure, you experience: nausea, vomiting or diarrhea; skin, eye or throat irritation; allergic reactions; or breathing difficulties.