We are pleased to announce that a $260,000 grant has been awarded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to Shelter Island to implement Fresh Pond’s deep water filtration innovative pilot project.

We are committed to raising half of the required matching funds. Shelter Island’s Water Quality Initiative Projects Committee has voted to recommend that town provide the remaining half. Please join us for a fundraising cocktail party on Saturday, June 7th at the Ram’s Head Inn!

We are deeply grateful for your contributions. Please consider a generous, tax-deductible donation. Our donations page offers three ways to contribute to the health of the pond.

Fresh Pond is the largest exposed portion of Shelter Island’s aquifer, the sole source of drinking water on Shelter Island. Water from Fresh Pond recharges our aquifer and flows underground into our estuaries and bays. Over time, however, contaminants from septic systems, run-off and waterfowl accumulate in pond sediments, recirculate annually, and lead to harmful algae blooms each year that can impact our groundwater. We must keep working to keep Fresh Pond fresh.

Our citizen science efforts, now in an eighth year, are supported by the NYS Federation of Lake Associations and the Department of Environmental Conservation. The Fresh Pond Neighbors Association is now working with the town and engineers and DEC to implement a filtration system that will prevent toxic blooms in the future.

While the pond’s health is improving, the Fresh Pond Neighbors Association also seeks contributions to fund professional clean-up each year, removing decaying plants and algae from pond access areas. Our goal is to keep the pond safe and beautiful for Shelter Islanders and visitors to enjoy. The annual clean up budget is $10,000. 

We can do it, with your generous help and support…