Website Comment Summary
Several comments express frustration with past pollution cleanups, including Newtown Creek. Other comments dealing with recycling and waste reduction are less on-topic, but still indirectly contribute to impaired water quality.

Many comments suggest an enhanced focus on opening the waterfront to public access. Several encourage the development of comprehensive greenways along borough coastlines and connections between neighborhoods and waterways. Others support enhanced government action to purchase waterfront property or encourage public waterfront access despite private land ownership.

Many comments urge the implementation of stormwater absorption and water conservation measures in order to reduce the load on sewage treatment facilities. Specific suggestions include green roofs, permeable pavement, and dual-flush toilets.

Restoration of rivers and wetlands was a chief suggestion of several comments. By restoring historic waterways in the five boroughs and cultivating wetland areas, they believe, the city can effectively improve water quality, aesthetics, and ecosystem health.

Town Hall Comment Summary
Reduce Pollution and Storm Water Runoff
The most common suggestion for improving the City's water quality was to reduce storm water runoff through increased permeable surfaces, green roofs, graywater usage, rainwater harvesting, and street trees. To reduce pollutants and litter from entering our waterways, participants suggested reducing street salting, banning pesticide use in the city, educating people about natural cleaning products, and controlling street littering.

Enhance Waterfront and Ferry Access
Participants voiced strong support for prioritizing waterfront development and improving public access to waterfronts and waterways. Ideas included: create more parks, public piers, bluebelts and other public recreation spaces along the waterfront; "create more park alliances;" and increase community involvement on waterfront issues. A few individuals asked for increased ferry service (including "explore hydrofoil ferries"), allowing kayak crossings, and "more non-motorized boat launches on the East River." Individual comments also included: "increase and stabilize wetlands," "plant native species along shoreline," "mitigate the effects of dredging," and "use bioremediation and natural methods to clean up waterways," such as using oyster beds to facilitate water filtration.

Reduce Combined Sewage Overflows
Numerous participants emphasized the need to "reduce CSO events," with individual ideas such as: obtain federal government funding for sewage infrastructure, build "a separate storm and sanitary sewer system," use "low impact development and non structural alternatives," and "pay for water treatment plants for secondary and tertiary pollution."

Community Leader Comment Summary
Enhance Waterfront and Ferry Access
Several suggestions were made to prioritize waterfront development and to improve public access to waterfronts and waterways. Bronx and Brooklyn community leaders asked for increased ferry service and routes. Bronx leaders encouraged the city to "partner with communities to identify best opportunities."

Reduce Storm Water Runoff and Pollution
Community groups offered several suggestions to address the important issue of reducing stormwater runoff, including use of green building techniques such as green roofs and tree planting, or using more permeable pavement or unpaved open spaces. Specific comments referred to the need for more stringent dumping laws and to the fact that "SI beaches are littered, jetties are disintegrating." A unique suggestion for addressing problems involved choosing "green techniques and organic methods, e.g., dragonflies to eat mosquitoes."

Improve Sewage System
Community leaders expressed great concern for the city's sewage system, with numerous calls to address Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs). Several groups also raised the need to significantly "upgrade sewage plants," including specific references to sewage issues in Queens (Jamaica Bay) and Staten Island.