DEP: Area Beaches Not Affected By Sewerage Spill

It appears that the beaches of Long Branch and other Monmouth County beaches have not been affected by a recent raw sewerage spill from a New York City wastewater treatment plant.

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has sampled water from Sandy Hook and the Raritan Bay, and the Monmouth County Health Department has done the same at Monmouth County beaches. Both agencies have found no traces of contaminants from the New York City's North River Wastewater Treatment Plant, according to a release from the DEP.

Contaminants from the plant leaked into the Hudson River last week, and there were concerns they could make their way to the Jersey Shore. Unfortunately, high levels of bacteria have been found in the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay, prompting the DEP to advise residents to not swim in these areas.

Several beaches in Staten Island and Brooklyn have been closed, but all New Jersey beaches remain open.

Shellfish beds in Raritan Bay and along Sandy Hook are being monitored by the DEP and have not shown any negative effects from the sewerage spill and remain open for clamming.

For more information about the monitoring of New Jersey beaches click here.