REOPENING OUR BEACHES

The Hudson River has had widely celebrated improvements in water quality thanks to decades of work to halt pollution and improve our wastewater infrastructure. Still, the estuary has only 4 public swimming areas along its 150-mile stretch - a massive contrast to the 224 beaches on Long Island Sound.

In Westchester County, Riverkeeper is working with community advocates and local elected officials on reopening shuttered beaches at Kingsland Point Park in Sleepy Hollow and Louis Engel Park in Ossining. Both parks once offered treasured local swimming beaches and could do so again!

Why reopening Hudson River beaches is so important:

It’s getting hotter

Within 25 years, summer heat waves are expected to increase significantly reaching up to 8 heat waves a year in our region.

It’s about justice

Ossining and Sleepy Hollow are deemed disadvantaged communities by the State’s Climate Justice Working Group, burdened by greater risks and fewer environmental benefits.

It’s a global and local movement

From Paris and London to NYC, communities are opening beaches and pools in urban waterways, and hosting open water events. We can too!

Barriers to creating more public swimming access on the Hudson River include money, outdated beach regulations, and remaining pollution from local sewage collection and treatment infrastructure. Together we can overcome these barriers!

Join the Riverkeeper Splash Mob and add your voice to our swimming on the Hudson campaign! Join our mailing list and stay tuned for actions you can support as part of this campaign.