Looks like water quality will be an issue:<br /><br />http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/30/nyregion/sewage-flows-after-hurricane-sandy-exposing-flaws-in-system.html?smid=pl-share
Surfers Environmental Alliance (SEA) here in Monmouth County is looking into funding for more water quality testing. The only testing being done currently is for bacteria only, and only once a month, and only at certain locations. SEA is concerned about other hazards in the water, chemical and physical, raised through conditions brought about by Sandy and/or the current dredging associated with the beach replenishment project underway in Monmouth Beach and Sea Bright. But testing for chemical hazards is very expensive. Hopefully they'll get the financial support they need, and we'll have more information soon. One thing to be critical about regarding the response to Sandy's devastation is the lack of INFORMATION... from water quality, to relief efforts, to what can and can't be salvaged from your home after a flooding event. There's still people living in contaminated homes, thinking they're safe, not knowing that the couch they're sitting on is toxic. I think we've done a really poor job at that so far.
Water quality testing needs to become more thorough and ubiquitous in all coastal areas. Back in the 90's when we had that crazy Pfiesteria outbreak in the Cape Fear and our salt estuaries that made national news, it was traced back to the massive flooding we experienced during hurricane Floyd that flooded out hundreds of hog and chicken farms up river. All of a sudden water quality testing was going on daily and brought many other local water quality issues to light. Unfortunately our municipalities, like most, lost interest over time and now we are right back where we started--not really knowing what's going on with our water quality other than people aren't getting sick frequently enough to raise eyebrows. Although I think some of this has been by design on the parts of the municipalities--mainly Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach by suppressing any information coming from current studies. Case and point: Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (a bamboozle in and of itself) can't seem to go a year without having a multiple hundreds of thousands gallon sewage spill into various creeks and estuaries in our area. These events get less and less publicity as time goes on. Why? TOURIST DOLLARS!!! You can't go around letting people know the danger you have put them in and expect them to visit the area. Anyway, the point I'm getting at is this: Municipalities have a vested interest in sweeping their public health problems under the rug because to do otherwise would only show their bureaucratic bungling and lack of real concern for their constituents. The only way to address these public health issues is through private, grass roots organizations like the one LBCrew mentioned--SEA. Down here we have the Cape Fear River Keeper. Just keep in mind your local governments will do anything they can to inhibit your efforts and sequester any information that could point to real and arguably malicious shortcomings on their parts. It seems NJ and NY have taken cues from the old hands down here in Hurricane Alley on how to respond to a hurricane disaster and "help" their constituents.
