Save The Sound's Newest LI Sound Beach Grades Just In Time For Memorial Day Weekend 2026

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — Which nearby beaches made the grade? Which fell short? The sometimes surprising results of this year's Save the Sound's Health Explorer Beach Grades are out, just in time for Memorial Day.

Updated grades for 192 beaches around the Long Island Sound shoreline were unveiled in the report which shows that 77 percent of Long Island Sound beaches earned "A" or "B" water quality grades.

The organization recommends that people "dive into" those grades to see how the water quality of their favorite beach compares to those of other beaches along the Long Island Sound shoreline.

"As we have seen over the years, there consistently is a high number of beaches that receive great marks for swimming all around Long Island Sound," said Peter Linderoth, director of healthy waters and lands for Save the Sound. "But as we also have seen, nearly one-quarter of Sound beaches face some level of water quality challenges that need to be looked into and addressed."

The Newest Westchester County Beach Grades:

• Glen Island Park: B+
• VIP Club: C
• Greentree Club: B
• Davenport Club: B+
• Surf Club: C+
• Hudson Park: D-
• Larchmont Shore Club: C+
• Larchmont Manor Park: C+
• Orienta Beach Club: C+
• Beach Point Club: C+
• Harbor Island Beach: D+
• Mamaroneck Beach & Yacht Club: F
• American Yacht Club: A+
• Shenorock Shore Club: A+
• Coveleigh Beach Club: C
• Rye Town/Oakland Beach: B-
• Rye Playland Beach: B
• Manursing Island Club: B-
• Westchester Country Club Beach: B

The environmental organization says that the Beach Grades in the biennial report are based on how water samples collected by departments of health perform against state safe swimming criteria. Samples were collected throughout the swimming season during wet and dry conditions, and were then analyzed for fecal bacteria.

Save the Sound says that in 2025, 17.7 percent of all samples collected around the Sound under wet conditions (one-quarter of an inch of rain in the 48 hours before sampling) failed to meet those safe-swimming criteria. The improvement in overall grades from 2024 to 2025 could be explained by the fact that the 2025 swimming season only had 16 inches of rain around the Long Island Sound region, the lowest since 2022, according to the organization.

Save the Sound says that the most common challenges to water quality, as related to swimming, in the Long Island Sound are: sewer infrastructure, septic systems, animal waste, and stormwater runoff.

What Save The Sound Has Previously Said You Can Do To Help Keep Beaches Safe:

• Support local investments in maintaining, repairing, upgrading municipal sewage collection and treatment. Repair any sewer lines that run from your home or office.
• Install green infrastructure that keeps rainfall on your property out of overloaded storm drains (rain gardens, rain barrels, green roofs, pervious driveways & patios).
• Upgrade your septic system/cesspool to a newer, cleaner technology.
• Don't throw garbage, chemicals or pet waste on the side of the road.
• Stop using single-use plastics and Styrofoam, limit the use of takeout food containers and cutlery, & never release balloons into the air.
• Encourage elected officials to support investments in wastewater and stormwater infrastucture and technologies that allow for same-day water quality monitoring.
• If you see a grade that concerns you, talk to your local officials and reach out to Save the Sound or other groups fighting for cleaner Long Island Sound waters. The source of pollution will most likely be hyperlocal, making the solution hyperlocal as well.

You can see all of the newest Long Island Sound beach grades here.