How’s the Water at Southwest Connecticut Beaches?

Now that the weather is warming up and we’ve hit the unofficial start of summer, residents and visitors are heading to our region’s many beaches. Southwest Connecticut boasts miles and miles of coastline, and some of the best beaches in our state, including Sherwood Island Park, a state-run beach in Westport. The beaches serve an essential role for our region, as places for relaxation, community, tourism, and more. 

As you make your plans this summer, here’s a look at the latest Beach Grades from Save the Sound, a regional nonprofit focused on environmental action, which rates the water quality along the Sound. The report, released earlier this month, found that 73% of the almost 200 beaches across Connecticut and New York received grades in either the A or B range. 

“The positive news is that there are a ton of great beaches for swimming all the way around Long Island Sound and many received excellent marks with respect to water quality,” said Peter Linderoth, director of water quality for Save the Sound, in a statement. 

A Look at the Report

Save the Sound collected over a three year-period from 2020 through 2022 and assigned a grade to the beach based on four main criteria: 

• Frequency Dry: The % of samples that did not meet the criteria for safe swimming on dry weather days
• Frequency Wet: The % of samples that did not meet the criteria for safe swimming on wet weather days
• Magnitude Dry: The highest concentration of fecal indicator bacteria that was collected during a dry period at a particular beach
• Magnitude Wet: The highest concentration of fecal indicator bacteria that was collected during a wet period at a particular beach

The Beaches in Our Region

Three beaches in our region made the top 10 “Highest Scoring Beaches” in Connecticut, according to the report—Great Captain Island Beach in Greenwich; Burying Hill Beach in Westport; and Quigley Beach in Stamford. 

Only one beach in our region made the “Lowest Scoring Beaches” list, according to the report. Byram Park Beach in Greenwich received a C- for its water quality over the three years. 

Some beaches were consistently highly rated over the three years: 

• Jennings Beach, Penfield Beach, and South Pine Creek Beach in Fairfield all had A- grades or better all three years.
• Burying Hill Beach, Sherwood Island State Park, and Compo Beach in Westport all had A grades or better all three years.
• Pear Tree Point Beach in Darien scored an A- or higher all three years.
• East Beach (Cove Island) and Quigley Beach in Stamford both scored A- or higher all three years. 
• Great Captain Island Beach in Greenwich received an A+ grade in back-to-back years.

However, the numbers fluctuated quite a bit over the three years, as some beaches, like Sasco Beach in Fairfield scored an A in 2020, an A+ in 2021, and a D in 2022. 

Here’s a look at how all the beaches in our region scored: 

Behind the Numbers

The goal of the report, according to Save the Sound, is to “provide as many people as possible with a science- and data-driven analysis of water quality when evaluated against state criteria for safe swimming.” The report combines beach water quality data with rainfall data to show “how wet or dry weather influences conditions at individual beaches.” 

Stormwater runoff is a major challenge for beach communities across southwest Connecticut as untreated rainwater running into the Long Island Sound can bring waste, pollutants, and garbage into the water. That’s why beaches often have to close the day after heavy rain to let the water clear out. 

Check out some of our previous reporting around water quality in the Long Island Sound including: 

• Grading the Long Island Sound’s Waters in Southwest Connecticut
• How’s the Water? A Look at the Water Quality of the Long Island Sound
• “Wealth of Scientific Knowledge”: The Importance of Water Quality Monitoring in the Long Island Sound