MyRye.com – August 6, 2008

Hen Island captures the imagination. Just a short boat ride from Rye’s “mainland” it seems a world away. It seems like an idyllic place.

Then you see how most of the 34 homes on the island handle human sewage (they don’t). The septic systems (if you can call them that) are crude at best and in many cases just feet away from the Long Island Sound. One would be hard pressed to believe any of us land lubbers would get away with such creative plumbing anywhere else in the city of Rye.

View MyRye.com’s photo album of Hen Island’s problems. Maybe not, but perhaps Westchester County and Rye City should call for some basic testing as requested from the Long Island Soundkeeper Terry Backer and confirm these systems meet all code requirements.