Southampton mayor outlines grants, culvert repair and lake cleanup to restore local waterways

Mayor Bill Maner said Southampton Village has moved to reduce polluted runoff and restore tidal flows in several local waterways, describing a series of grant-funded projects and on-the-ground fixes aimed at improving water quality and recreational access.

"We put in a lot of bioswales," Maner said, describing medians and planted areas in the West Main Street parking lot and along Jin Lane that let stormwater filter through vegetation before reaching groundwater. He said the village obtained town grants to expand bioswale installations this year around Oldtown Pond, Wikipog Pond and Phillips Pond.

Maner said the village also secured a New York State grant to rehabilitate Taylor Creek after a culvert at Boyce Road failed and cut off tidal exchange. "We're going to be able to rebuild that culvert, raise the road a little bit and put in some plantings and then have that free flow of tidal water to flush out the end of Taylor Creek," he said, arguing that restoring tidal flushing will revive the creek.

For Lake Awam, Maner described plans for a permeable reactive barrier placed at the lake's northern end to reduce leaching from the central business district. He also said the village will install three algae harvesters "which will basically clean the water" by filtering and removing harmful algae, a measure he said could, over a few years, improve conditions enough to support boating and possibly swimming again.

Why it matters: the projects combine infrastructure repair, green stormwater practices and targeted in-lake treatment to address nutrient-driven algae and impaired tidal exchange, conditions that affect public use, local ecosystems and neighborhood quality of life.

Maner tied the initiatives to tourism and community well-being, noting earlier recognition of local beaches as an economic asset. He said the timeline for installations runs through this year for bioswales and that the culvert and lake treatments are planned with state and local funding.

The mayor did not provide estimated total costs or specific installation dates beyond "this year" for bioswales; he specified the Taylor Creek grant came from New York State and named the culvert location at Boyce Road. No formal vote or municipal action was announced on air; the mayor described grants and projects already secured or planned by village staff.

The village's next procedural steps, as described by Maner, are project implementation and continued grant-supported work to restore water quality and tidal connectivity.