Environmental Justice Project: Water Quality
One facet of the Environmental Justice Project includes the seasonal testing of the water quality at 7 different sites in the Riverhead and Southampton areas. pH, Dissolved Oxygen, Phosphates, Nitrates, and Turbidity are tested and recorded once a week at the following sites: Grangabel Park, Cranberry Bog, Wildwood Lake, Merritts Pond North, Merritts Pond South, and two ponds in the Riverwoods community labeled Riverwoods 1 and Riverwoods 2.
In addition to the on-site tests, a sample of water is collected at each site for further analysis by the SOMAS Lab in Stonybrook Southampton to determine the presence of a cyanobacteria bloom.
This page is a starting place to learn all about the water quality testing section of the project, including information about the test sites, data results, tested parameters, health implications and more information on how you can stay up to date on your local water quality.
Water Quality Parameters
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pH refers to the “parts hydrogen” in any chemical substance, but it is more commonly understood as the measure of a substance's acidity.
The pH scale is measured from 0-14, with lower numbers representing strong acids, and higher numbers representing strong bases. Pure water is neutral, with a pH of 7.
Healthy water has a pH that is closest to 7, but natural variation is expected due to the chemical reactions that occur in water that supports living plants and animals.
The water’s pH may be drastically altered by pollutants, or ecological imbalances such as a cyanobacteria bloom.
pH that is too high or too low may threaten the wellbeing of living beings residing in the water, or those that utilize the water to hunt, drink, or cool off.
Studies show that extremely low or high pH water is harmful to the eyes, mouths, gills, and fins of fish and other aquatic animals.
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Dissolved oxygen refers to the amount of oxygen gas that is mixed in with the water of any waterbody.
Plant life in the water, diffusion from wind, and even waves contribute to introduce dissolved oxygen into the water.
Dissolved oxygen is necessary for the fish and other aquatic animals to breathe.
The temperature of the water contributes to how much oxygen the waterbody can hold. Cold water can hold more dissolved oxygen than warm water.
There is a healthy concentration of dissolved oxygen that must be met to allow the aquatic ecosystem to thrive.
If the dissolved oxygen concentration is too low, the aquatic animals will undergo oxygen stress, and be unable to breathe properly.
If the dissolved oxygen level is too high, the aquatic organisms may experience oxygen poisoning and become unwell or die.
Cyanobacteria thrive in water with high concentrations of dissolved oxygen. If this condition is met, it could cause cyanobacteria to overpopulate the waterbody and cause a host of additional ecological complications.
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Phosphates and Nitrates consist of nutrient rich compounds that are healthy in low concentrations in aquatic ecosystems. The most common forms of these compounds in waterbodies are PO43- and NH3 & NH4+.
These compounds can be easily supplemented from external sources which creates an extreme imbalance in living organisms in the ecosystem- this is called eutrophication.
When eutrophication occurs, algae, phytoplankton, and cyanobacteria multiply excessively which overcrowds the water and makes the pond nearly inhabitable for the other wildlife.
Phosphate and Nitrate compounds are typically present in low numbers from normal biological activity, but they can also be supplemented in waterbodies from runoff from fertilizers, agricultural sites, industrial waste, and roads.
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Turbidity refers to the clarity of the water in a waterbody.
Healthy aquatic ecosystems are not completely clear due to the natural output plants and animals contribute, but clear enough for the aquatic animals to visually navigate their ecosystem, and for sunlight to reach the plants below the water’s surface.
The water may become more turbid or cloudy if algae and aquatic plant growth increases rapidly in response to a higher availability of nutrients, such as phosphates and nitrates.
Additionally, cyanobacteria blooms may completely cover the surface of the waterbody and contribute to make the water’s turbidity high enough to block out all sunlight from reaching below the surface of the waterbody.
Cyanobacteria
What is Cyanobacteria?
Cyanobacteria are tiny organisms that can perform photosynthesis like plants to make energy. They are a part of the Bacteria domain, and are among the first forms of life to exist on Earth. Cyanobacteria exist in nearly every body of water and are usually harmless, but if their number grows too high, they can overcrowd their environment and release toxins into the water which can be harmful to other living beings in the ecosystem. There are three main conditions needed for cyanobacteria to grow. High nitrogen levels, high dissolved oxygen levels, and warm temperatures provide the right conditions for cyanobacteria to proliferate. If all three of these conditions are met, a bloom can quickly grow to unhealthy sizes, and can even cover the entire surface of a waterbody.
Cyanobacteria Health Risks
If ingested, the toxins produced by cyanobacteria can cause moderate to severe adverse health effects which include muscle cramps, seizures, paralysis, respiratory aggravation, confusion, memory loss, neurodegenerative diseases, or even death in small animals or children.
If cyanobacteria is present in evaporating water, the algae can become airborne and their toxins can spread much farther from its original waterbody. If the toxins are inhaled, they can also cause respiratory complications or any of the previous symptoms.
How to spot A CYANOBACTERIA BLOOM
Algal blooms are often easy to spot when you know what to look for.
Algal blooms can appear many different colors depending on the type of algae present but all blooms cause the water to lose its transparency. What would normally be clear water will look completely opaque; sometimes it will appear as if the lake is made out of paint.
Cyanobacteria blooms can also occur below the surface of the water, so if you live in an area where blooms have occurred in the past, be sure to ask a local authority if you plan to swim in the water.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM CYANOBACTERIA BLOOMS
Cyanobacteria blooms can be very harmful and cause moderate to severe health complications. It is important to make sure you protect yourself if a cyanobacteria bloom is present. Avoiding contact with the water is necessary to make sure that the cyanobacteria or their toxins do not get into your system.
You should avoid fishing or handling any wildlife that live in, consume the water, or consume the other animals from the affected pond to minimize exposure. Studies have shown that cyanobacteria toxins accumulate in the bodies of animals that have ingested the toxins, which then travel up the food chain- a process called biomagnification.
If you use the water recreationally and take anything with you into the water (such as a kayak, waders, etc.), be sure to thoroughly rinse the items after use to limit exposure.
PROTECTING YOUR PETS
Humans are not the only ones that need protection from cyanobacteria blooms, as pets and other wildlife are also at serious risk. This is due to the size difference between humans and animals, as well as their reduced inhibition from entering or drinking contaminated water. There are even documented cases on Long Island of house pets such as dogs drinking from water bodies with blooms and falling ill from the ingested toxins. Make sure you keep your pets safe by keeping them on a leash and far away from contaminated waterbodies.
Bloomwatch
bloomWatch is a mobile app that anyone with internet access can download. This app allows anyone to make and submit observations on local water bodies into a global database. bloomWatch contributors can also view the observations others submit around the world. Use the buttons below to view the bloomWatch website where you can see what others have posted, as well as learn more about cyanobacteria blooms, or learn more about how to download and use the bloomWatch app on any device.