Letters

Our coastal community relies on clean water. This Election Day, we have an opportunity to secure clean water for the future.

Flip your ballot to find the clean water question and vote yes on Ballot Proposition 2. Here’s why I’m voting yes.

We all depend on clean water. It affects our health, our local economy, and our environment. Unfortunately, nitrogen pollution has been contaminating our water — our beaches, bays, and harbors and our drinking water.

Scientific research shows the main cause of the county’s poor water quality, harmful algal blooms, and damaged wildlife habitat is nitrogen pollution from outdated septic systems.

There are 380,000 outdated septic systems and cesspools in Suffolk County. While the existing grant programs have been a great start to updating these systems, progress needs to be ramped up to make a real change. Our county needs the resources to scale these programs so we can make these upgrades before our waters are totally impaired.

By voting yes on Prop 2, we can create long-term funding to upgrade our wastewater infrastructure to safeguard clean drinking water and restore our bays and harbors. We owe it to future generations to make sure they have clean water to drink and can enjoy the same beaches that we do.

Want clean water and safe beaches? Vote yes on Prop 2 on November 5.

Jenna Schwerzmann

Southampton