PULSE MAGAZINE SPRING 2020: The Water Issue
In Spring 2020, Alexandra Whitbeck served as the managing editor for Pulse Magazine- a semiannual magazine that focuses on issues impacting Long Islanders. This issue of Pulse looked into our water use and how Long Island takes care of their limited water supply. As managing editor, Whitbeck was tasked with assisting other staff members in creating their articles as well as two of my own. She edited the final pieces and aided in the construction of the layout for individual articles.
Christopher Gobler: A Lifelong Dedication to Clean Water
Read article in Pulse Magazine here.
The bayman stood in front of 19-year-old Christopher Gobler and other members of Citizens Campaign for the Environment explaining how his generational family trade would be ending with him. He would not be able to teach his son how to harvest oysters and clams in the Great South Bay like his father and grandfather taught him years before. The bayman accused the brown tide for this break in custom.
The harrowing story made Gobler ask questions, not only as a biology major at the University of Delaware, but as a Long Island native with fond memories of sailing on the Long Island Sound and fishing on the East End with his father. He wondered what was causing the brown tide and its effects on Long Island both short and long term, but most importantly how to stop water degradation on the island he loves.
His trajectory instantly changed to studying the brown tide and saving the areas it affects. Working alongside Dr. Elizabeth Cosper for his graduate degree at Stony Brook University, Gobler’s interest in saving Long Island Water grew into a career.
Gobler is now a professor at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University and the director of the Center for Clean Water Technology. Both these paths allow him to continue to save the bays of Long Island.
“Wastewater is the biggest source of nitrogen from land to sea.”
Long Island is plagued with harmful algal blooms which feed on nitrogen that seeps into the bays. Nitrogen rich water is commonly caused by fertilizer and faulty cesspools allowing wastewater to seep into larger water bodies.
Wastewater, or any water affected by human use, has become a leading issue on the island. Outdated or faulty household septic systems, or on-site sewage systems, are a leading cause of nitrogen in the water. Wastewater is very rich in nitrogen and when not properly treated within the septic system, can cause excess nitrogen into drinking water.
Once an algal bloom begins to grow, it absorbs all sunlight and suffocates all life beneath it. The shellfish native to Long Island Bays began depleting rapidly as nitrogen levels increased starting in the 1980’s and attracted algal blooms. Suffolk County is still facing these effects as Suffolk water bodies experienced the most algal blooms from 2012-2018 out of all NY counties according to the Department of Environmental Conservation.
After human intervention to kill the bloom, the only trace left is a brown patch of decay where it covered the shellfish beds and plant life. This occurrence is known as the brown tide.
Without action to strip the water of excess nutrients, the decay of Long Island bays would continue at a rapid rate as more nitrogen seeps into the water. Gobler began to dedicate his career researching how to fix these problems plaguing his home and fighting for the baymen who yearned to continue their family trade.
“I spent the first decade, decade and a half, of my career documenting all the negative things that were going on in water bodies around Long Island, so the collapse of fisheries, harmful algal blooms, loss of seagrass, loss of salt marshes…” -Christopher Gobler
Coming together with similarly dedicated individuals allowed for there to be “enough information to begin to act and to begin to take actions that would start to reverse these trajectories” said Gobler. This resulted in a state and federally funded center that had the support of not only local non-profits but of Long Islanders working to stop water degradation.
Stony Brook, NY: Ribbon cutting of the new New York State Center for Clean Water Technology at Stony Brook University’s Wastewater Research & Innovation Facility.
Founded in 2015, the Center for Clean Water Technology (CCWT) is tackling these issues that potentially could threaten the health of Long Islanders by introducing efficient technology.
Under its director, Dr. Gobler and a team of dedicated industry specialists, the center developed an innovative way to strip the water of algal prone nutrients — Nitrogen Removing Biofilters (NRB).
These biofilters are able to reduce the nitrogen in wastewater headed for the bays to below 10 milligrams per liter, making harmful algal blooms less likely.
Not only are these biofilters capable of removing nitrogen, but they also can catch 1-4,dioxane as well. 1,4-dioxane is a chemical found in household cleaning supplies that has seeped into the drinking water supply and has been linked to causing cancer.
The NRB’s were initially installed in 2016 in Massachusetts and in the following two years were installed on Long Island. Gobler and his team aim to make the biofilters available for consumer purchase and use. Implementing NRBs in homes and surrounding schools would reduce the chance of an algal bloom in local water bodies and aid the purity of drinking water as well.
“It took decades for nitrogen to be so enriched in our groundwater that it may take decades to get out” says Gobler, however he remains optimistic, mentioning that even ten years ago this technology was undreamt of and tremendous strides are now being made to keep Long Island water clean.
As of January 2020, the CCWT has installed eight NRB’s across Suffolk County as a part of the county’s to implement alternative on-site wastewater treatment systems according to the Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan Newsletter. Gobler was recently awarded a grant from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science to continue working to stop the problems faced by shellfish such as eradicating eukaryotic or single-celled species that poison oysters and clams.
Long Island water is continually in danger. The Center for Clean Water Technology is aiming to better the quality of water and life for everyone on the island.
The Man Who Swims in Sludge
Read article in Pulse Magazine here.
‘Black mayonnaise’ lies at the bottom of Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal detering most from swimming in the water. Festering at the canal floor, this sludge is the result of industrial coal companies dumping waste into the water for decades. The Environmental Protection Agency has been pushing to dredge up the mayonnaise and clean the waterway since 2017, yet few New Yorkers are willing to wade through the oil sitting on the water’s surface and join the fight.
Except Christopher Swain.
“The bottom of the Gowanus Canal is a 10 to 20 foot layer of what they call black mayonnaise” – Christopher Swain
Swain is constantly moving, whether it be through bustling Brooklyn streets or highly polluted bodies of water. Being one of the few environmental activists to take to murky waters, he is the first to swim the distance of the Mohawk River, Lake Champlain, the Hudson River, the Gowanus Canal, Newtown Creek, the Long Island Sound and many other waterways filled with toxins.
When first hearing about the man in the yellow suit who has swam the entire 315 miles of the Hudson River in 2004, people ask why. Why would anyone swim in the aftermath of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) riddled striper fish in the Hudson River? Swain swims to bring media attention to waterways that have been overlooked and face heavy pollution. In doing this, he is drawing attention to what the Clean Water Act has failed to do- clean up our water and push local and federal governments to act.
“This isn’t fair, we should be able to swim in clean water… that doesn’t seem like too much to ask,” Swain said.
In his early 30s, he became aware of the Clean Water Act that was proposed in the ‘70s during Nixon’s presidency. The Clean Water Act states that any navigable body of water must be clean enough to go swimming and fishing. It also regulated the release of pollutants into the nation’s surface water.
Through his swimming, Swain wants to emphasize the necessity of cleaning polluted waterways by bringing media attention to these places that, by law, should be clean.
“If you were an American citizen, you had the right to have water that was clean enough to fish in, paddle in, swim in and drink if it were fresh water.” Christopher Swain
When Swain went to start his swim at the Gowanus Canal in 2015, two NYPD officers approached him and threatened to arrest him if he entered the water. He responded that he had a federal right to do so, and the officers called him crazy as he started to swim through the canal’s toxic waters.
“What’s crazy is that there is a federal law that said this [body of water] would have been clean enough to swim in in 1985… I’m not crazy! It may seem crazy to you, but I’m just out here exercising my federal rights,” said Swain.
In the following years and throughout the numerous swims, Swain and law enforcement have developed a more understanding relationship.
His love for water as a child easily transitioned into his life’s work. Growing up in Massachusetts, his experiences with water were much less threatening than his current endeavors.
“I was a kid who liked the water…I loved to swim…I remember the sun dappling and all the ripples of sand underwater… and this is before I knew about it in this way,” said Swain.
He swapped his time splashing in chlorinated pools for wading in waste in order to bring media attention to these polluted waterways.
Swain’s swims have drawn the attention of multiple media outlets including The New York Times, CBS, the Wall Street Journal and News 12.
Each swim presents Swain with new challenges. Newtown Creek is not only the site of one of the largest continuous oil spills in America, but it also encounters raw sewage overflows from the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant when it rains heavily.
“I swam through physical sewage… everything people flush down the toilet… trash from the streets and the oil, which burns,” said Swain.
Different precautions are taken for each swim including an exposure control plan consisting of three main concerns: what Swain will be exposed to, how concentrated the toxins in the water are and what the best approach is. His team not only considers the toxic chemicals, heavy metals and various bacteria but also wildlife, high ocean waves and even sunscreen.
“We break each swim down,” Swain said.
When tackling the Gowanus Canal, Swain’s team of experts’ primary goal was to shield him from the live cultures of gonorrhea and other dangerous toxins. They decided on a completely concealed, puncture resistant, bright yellow dry suit and boots with a heavy tread in case he encounters black mayonnaise. He then applied water resistant cream to all exposed skin, put on goggles and ear plugs and entered the canal.
“For years the Gowanus Canal has been a place where people have thrown everything from knives and guns after commiting crimes, to cars, to old boats, to washing machines, to hunks of concrete and rebar, you know body parts, everything…” said Swain. He frequently dodges shrapnel and floating trash all while watching the path of tug boats during his swim.
Swain’s swims are affected by all elements both in the water and in the surrounding environment. In the event of more than a 16th of an inch of rain, the sewage systems of lower Manhattan and Brooklyn become overwhelmed and the raw runoff is forced to go into the water making his swims much more dangerous or force him to reschedule.
Swain keeps his head above water when he swims in waterways and handles his busy life. While doing this, he channels his maternal grandmother who would smoke cigarettes and swim. Unable to duck beneath the surface without having to relight, she would keep her head above water.
The waters he swims in are considered such hazards that the EPA released a statement about his swims, which can be found on his website, swimwithswain.org:
“The United States Environmental Protection Agency—leader of the cleanup of the sludge at the bottom of the Canal—recognized Swain’s legal right to swim in the Canal, but has advised Swain against swimming in it at all. In a letter delivered to Swain on Wednesday, the Agency wrote: “EPA strongly advises against swimming in the Gowanus Canal. Swimming in the waters of the Gowanus Canal pose [sic] a risk from exposure to site related hazardous chemicals as well as pathogens associated with sewage discharge.”
“It’s volatile enough that if you took some of the mud and were able to remove some of the moisture, heat it to a high enough temperature, it would catch fire” said Swain. In case of contact with the water, Swain must gargle with hydrogen peroxide.
His swims bring attention to these waterways and make people come to a creek or canal they may have avoided before. Swain’s advocacy has brought increased attention and media attention to the Gowanus Canal as seen in The New York Times, CBS and PIX 11.
In January of 2020, the EPA introduced an initiative to clean up the bottom of the Gowanus Canal allocating $125 million to remove the sludge at the bottom. This is a 30 month effort to support the public health and environment of Brooklyn, according to a news release by the EPA.
In a challenging swim from Montauk to New York City, along the entire length of the Long Island Sound and the East River, Swain faced dangerous wildlife like sharks and jellyfish. To his advantage, whatever contaminant is in the Long Island Sound is more diluted due to the ocean setting and size of the waterway. However, it presents different concerns like shipping traffic.
When tackling the Long Island Sound, Swain took into consideration temperature and how to not get hit by a boat as they are not able to see him in the water. In this setting, he wears a swim cap and bright colors to indicate his presence with a kayak following closely behind. The Coast Guard is a big part of his endeavors.
“The idea with that swim was to make the connection from Montauk to New York City and all the way out through the narrow so you can teach it as one waterway,” said Swain in an effort to instill that the water from the Long Island Sound flows all the way into the East River.
Steve Goldman, past CEO of Petro Home Services who installs heating oil systems, lived on Long Island at the time of Swain’s Long Island Sound swim and wanted to get involved. On the weekends, the past CEO of the oil company would volunteer at beach cleanups with his family and was grateful someone was taking such a stark stance in the matter. Goldman reached out to make a donation to Swain’s cause, which turned out to be a controversial move in the eyes of his supporters.
Swain defended his choice and explained that local support from an oil company is still support nevertheless. He looks for “positive actors that are trying.” Petro Home Services later helped him with the initiative to bring clean water information into Long Island schools.
“What makes Long Island great is the water that surrounds it.” Swain
In addition to in the water advocacy, Swain brings his message into schools and works with numerous organizations including March For The Kids. According to his website, Swain has made over 80,000 presentations to North American students about clean water. To reach a large and continuous audience, Swain is active on social media like Twitter and Instagram under the username @SwimWithSwain.
Swain doesn’t label his work as non-profit as he actively advocates for political change by pressuring the government to hold cleanups.
While he is usually seen in the water, Swain’s upcoming schedule remains on dry land.
“If any of the water ways I’ve worked on look like there is backsliding or there is a stalled clean up… you’ll see me go back in,” he said. “I’m going to keep jumping in there and that’s the norm.”