Babylon Village has long been at the forefront of efforts to reduce rainwater runoff and protect the Great South Bay. Now, the Village has gotten some support verbally and financially from the County of Suffolk.

With a cold November wind whipping about, S.C. Exec. Steve Levy and S.C. Leg. Wayne Horsley announced at a press conference in the Village last week that Babylon was receiving more than $300,000 from the County to continue its innovative program of installing Smart Sponges in drainage outfall pipes to reduce the amount of contaminants that pour into the bay from rainwater runoff from local streets.

"It's a great initiative," said Mary Ellen Dour, a 20-year resident of the Village who attended the event.

Lawmakers agreed that Babylon's approach was one they wanted to support and promote not only in Babylon but also throughout the county.

"We are going to leave a legacy for our children because of this investment here today," Levy said.

Mayor Ralph Scordino, whose administration took the initiative of searching out the newest and most effective techniques for protecting the Bay two years ago, explained the problem.

"The rainwater mixes with the oil and grease on our roadways and contaminates our waterways, particularly the beautiful Great South Bay," he said. "A cleaner bay means better recreational facilities along the South Shore for our residents and our visitors."

The Village recognized the value of the Smart Sponges, which were initially designed to be placed in street drains. But Babylon, working with its engineers, decided to ask AbTech to consider building a large filtration system for the end pipes, which lead directly into the Great South Bay. A prototype was installed almost two years ago and has been shown to be highly effective, said Village and County officials.

The Smart Sponge filtration units will be installed on all pipes/drainage systems in the Village that enter an open body of water. There are currently 93 outfall pipes entering the various lakes, streams, canals and bay surface waters, however, only two of these outfall pipes have storm water filter units installed; all others remain unprotected, allowing the untreated storm water to flow into village waterways. The filters are installed in an aluminum frame located within a concrete vault structure similar to a roadway catch basin.

"Just last week we celebrated encouraging early news in our cooperative efforts to restore hard clams to the bottom of the Great South Bay," said Levy. "Preventing contaminants from entering the waterways is another significant step we can take to help our shellfish population thrive again."

The waters being protected under this initiative, includ- ing the Great South Bay, are designated as high fish and shellfish consumption areas. Increased sediments and pollutants added to these waters, such as after a severe rainstorm, can result in fish consumption advisories, shellfish and recreation restrictions, and beach closings until the water levels return to normal. The proposed storm water filters to be installed, manufactured by AbTech Industries, boast a capture rate of 80 percent of all total suspended solids, 85 percent of oil and grease, 95 percent of enterococcus and 90 percent of fecal coliform, hazardous materials to marine animals and plants, as well as humans. Once installed, the filters will be monitored by county officials as part of a pilot program to determine feasibility for installation in other areas.

The county's share of the project is funded through its Water Quality Protection and Restoration Program, which utilizes a portion of the one-quarter cent sales tax revenue collected for open space protection and environmental programs.

Through this program, Suffolk County has funded over $20 million in projects to reduce stormwater runoff, mitigate and prevent pollution

of groundwater and surface waters, and restore natural water habitats and wetlands.

Innovative, cost friendly and low maintenance. that's how S.C. Leg. Wayne Horsley (D-Lindenhurst) described the Smart Sponge Vault system. Thanking Scordino, who he called his "high school friend," Horsley said this technology will help in the fight to clean our waterways so that our children can enjoy them as we do.

"I am proud to be a part of the legacy," he said.

In top photo, Mayor Ralph Scordino, S.C. Exec. Steve Levy and S.C. Leg. Wayne Horsley are shown at the press conference.

In bottom photo, Levy talks about the Smart Sponge system and demonstrates how it works.