By Cindy J. Roth
Rauch's picturesque view is a far cry from most closely packed suburban yards that lend themselves to peeping Toms. The waterway provides a serene calm from the world beyond his fence. The whole scene is perfect except for one thing. The water is laden with all kinds of garbage.
Fed up with staring at bottles, plastic drink containers, snack bags and various kinds of litter engulfing the canals, Rauch and about a dozen other residents have decided to take back the waterways. Organized under the Freeport Stop Polluting, Littering And Save Harbors (SPLASH) association, a Wantagh-Bellmore SPLASH group is turning its efforts to cleaning up the various canals, creeks, bays and wetlands in the two towns.
"I've never ever seen anyone cleaning up," said Gary Smith, Wantagh-Bellmore SPLASH member. "[The government] doesn't do it. There's no money for it. Most people don't realize the stuff [that runs through storm drains] is going to dump in our bays. There is just no agency that looks into it or educates the people."
Wantagh-Bellmore SPLASH members said area waterways become polluted because they are at the end of the line where more than two dozen storm drains empty out. Garbage dropped on streets like Old Country Road in central Nassau County, and others, goes into street drains after heavy rainfalls and moves its way south until pouring into canals, creeks and bays on the South Shore.
"The pollutant starts central island, and it winds up in our bays," said Ed Sheehan, one of the Wantagh-Bellmore SPLASH organizers. "It's unbelievable the amount of stuff that's collected." The group is finding pipes, batteries and also wood from bulkheads that are washed away as they deteriorate among other debris.
The Town of Hempstead has jurisdiction over East Bay and parts of the different creeks and offshoots of the larger waterways on the South Shore. Town officials said they do not clean the waterways on a regular basis. They only respond to specific requests for garbage and debris cleanup. Officials said the town relies on Freeport SPLASH's help to make sure the waterways are clean and are enthusiastic about the Wantagh-Bellmore chapter becoming involved.
Regardless of the town's efforts, Wantagh-Bellmore SPLASH members said waterways belong to the community, whether or not individuals have waterfront property, and it is the community's job to make sure the areas are clean.
"We feel it's important to keep our homes clear," said SPLASH member Peter Bauer. "The water is our home. The resource Long Island has is the waterways. It's for everyone. That's why I don't understand why they don't clean the waterways. If it wasn't for people like us out there, it wouldn't get cleaned. It's a shame."
"It is our job because we all love the bays," Wantagh-Bellmore SPLASH member Mark Smith added. "Seeing it getting trashed breaks our hearts."
Wantagh-Bellmore SPLASH holds cleanup sessions every Tuesday morning and Thursday evening. The group is in the process of getting a boat specifically for the organization to use when collecting debris. Currently members are using their own boats during cleanups. The group supplies the nets and grappling hooks and encourages all community members who want to make their town a cleaner place to join the organization.
"It's not only fun, it's really good," said Gary Smith. "It's not as fun as a fishing trip, but it's almost. When people see you doing this, they think just maybe I won't dump this. It gets people thinking. What we got to do is show people that there are people who care and what is dumped in storm drains will end up in our water."
The SPLASH group said cleanups will be an ongoing until the drainage systems are upgraded and/or people stop polluting. The group hopes to have catch basins installed along the waterway edges to catch pollutants and debris from floating beyond the edges. Another objective the group has is to have six-pack plastic holders for beer and soda banned. Wildlife choke on the plastic, which should always be cut apart before discarded, even in a trash receptacle.
"Anything that's not returned to nature is a strain on the environment," said Bauer. "Unless some steps are taken, we'll be picking up after everyone. We could be an army cleaning up, and it would not be enough."
The Wantagh-Bellmore SPLASH will remain as part of the Freeport SPLASH until the fall when they plan to separate and become their own organization. The group also plans to tie their efforts together with the help of other community groups and schools.
"People don't think twice about dumping things in streams," said Gary Smith. "We've got to really get out there and get dirty. It's amazing when you really go out and do something people notice, then they get interested."
For more information about Wantagh-Bellmore SPLASH or to get involved, contact Ed Sheehan at (516) 781-8255.
