The Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS) has issued an advisory to take precautions before recreating in Huntington Harbor near the Huntington Sewer District Wastewater Treatment facility effluent discharge located near the head of the harbor. The advisory is being issued out of an abundance of caution following a pipe break resulting in the discharge of residual solids on Friday afternoon, November 16, 2018.
Suffolk County health officials were notified of the discharge and inspected the facility over the weekend. The SCDHS inspector reported that the plant operator had promptly taken appropriate actions to minimize the discharge.
SCDHS is working closely with the NYSDEC, which has jurisdiction over the permitting and enforcement at the facility, and with the management at the Huntington Village plant.
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, or allergic reactions or breathing difficulties.
SCDHS will be sampling the effluent from the treatment plant located on Creek Road in Huntington, as well as multiple locations throughout Huntington Harbor for bacteriological quality.
More information will be disseminated as health officials learn more about the situation.
