Norwalk Starts Filtering Contaminated Stormwater

Norwalk’s experiment with a filter than removes pollutants from stormwater – dubbed the Smart Sponge – began yesterday. The amount of contaminants that reach Long Island Sound is so great the heavy rains automatically force officials to shut down shellfishing beds and some beaches. Norwalk of course has hundreds of acres of oyster beds, and it’s possible that if the filters work, the beds will be able to stay open more often (although I hasten to add that health officials are exceedingly cautious about keeping oysters safe). The Stamford Advocate has a story today, and here’s what I wrote back in July.