Clove Lakes Park waters close to boats and fishing as officials seek a sewage probe

Boating and fishing are off limits on the lakes at Clove Lakes Park on Staten Island after testing by the Parks Department, and Borough President Vito Fossella wants an investigation into what he says is broken piping that keeps pouring raw sewage into the water.

On Monday, Fossella and other local officials asked for a task force made up of the state and city agencies involved, calling the situation an obvious danger to public health. Clove Lake is part of a linked system of waterways in the park that also includes Martling Lake and Brooks Lake. Fossella said sewage in a Central Park lake would cause an uproar, and that Staten Island should get the same urgency.

What Parks and DEP say about Clove Lakes Park sewage

In a statement, a Parks Department spokesperson said the agency does not know of any sanitary sewer lines running into Clove Lake and is coordinating next steps with other agencies. A spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Protection said DEP would join the task force the lawmakers proposed.

State Sen. Andrew Lanza, one of the Staten Island lawmakers pushing for action, said he thinks the repair should be straightforward. “This is not rocket science. This is plumbing, for crying out loud,” he said.

Park visitors describe years of odor

Debra Altman lives near the park and said a bad smell has lingered there for years. On some walks down to the lake, she said, the sewage was unmistakable. People from every neighborhood use the park, she said, for its playground and its walking paths.

Delilah Atanasio, another visitor, called the park gorgeous and said Staten Island deserves a really nice one. She said she hopes officials can figure out a fix.