Orchard Beach earns 'A' grade for water quality
Even with this good grade, Save the Sound says there is still work to be done to protect waterways, particularly with sewer infrastructure and stormwater.
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When the weather warms up, millions of people flock to The Bronx’s only public beach: Orchard Beach. In spite of a brief swimming advisory last year, the beach received an “A” grade from the environmental nonprofit, Save the Sound.
Save The Sound released its 2025 Long Island Sound Beach Report grading water quality at beaches across Westchester, New York City and Connecticut on a scale of “A+” to “F.”
David Abreu, a Bronx native and water specialist advocate with Save the Sound, explained how the organization measures water quality.
“The primary factor that we're looking at for these grading systems is fecal indicator bacteria," he says. “Bacteria can make its way to our swimming beaches from a variety of different sources, whether it's wastewater, stormwater. During periods of heavy rain, that stormwater can increase in volume to the point where that system can no longer handle the amount of water coming in.”
Abreu said this data disproves many of the myths New Yorkers may have about Orchard Beach.
“It goes a long way towards dispelling that myth, that Orchard Beach is dirty or that we shouldn't swim in the water here,” he said. “Orchard Beach is the only public beach in the Bronx, and it's a really important resource for people in the borough to be able to connect with the Long Island Sound.”
Even with this good grade, Save the Sound says there is still work to be done to protect waterways, particularly with sewer infrastructure and stormwater.
