Advocates: Legislation Will Protect NY’s Drinking Water From Emerging Contaminants

 

The following was submitted by Environmental Advocates of New York.

Albany – Advocates joined Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard Gottfried and other legislators in Albany today to call for immediate action to protect New York’s drinking water. Assembly Member Gottfried has introduced new legislation (A.7839) establishing a list of dangerous chemicals to be tested for in drinking water, and setting a deadline for the New York State Department of Health (DOH) to implement this testing.

The legislation lists emerging contaminants that all New York communities, no matter the size, will be required to test for in their drinking water sources. The list includes not only toxic PFAS chemicals like PFOA and PFOS, but also other contaminants known to occur in New York, largely drawn from US EPA’s Third Unregulated Contaminant Rule.

In New York State, small communities are not being tested for emerging contaminants like PFOA, PFOS, and 1,4-dioxane in their drinking water. Under federal regulations, only public water systems serving more than 10,000 people are required to test for certain chemicals that may harm human health. This gap in testing leaves approximately 2.5 million New Yorkers in the dark when it comes to the safety of their drinking water.

On September 7, 2016, the Cuomo Administration promised swift action to close the federal loophole. That was exactly 1,001 days ago. DOH has yet to implement statewide testing for emerging contaminants, despite being instructed by the Legislature to do so in 2017. Additionally, DOH hasn’t set enforceable drinking water standards (Maximum Contaminant Levels) for PFOA, PFOS, and 1,4-dioxane, so contamination can be treated where elevated levels are discovered.

Following drinking water contamination crises in Hoosick Falls, Petersburgh, Newburgh, and on Long Island, and with recent data detailing that nearly 16 million New Yorkers are served by water systems in which emerging contaminants have been detected, New York still has much to do to ensure that drinking water for all residents is protected from source to tap.

In addition to Assembly Member Gottfried’s legislation, advocates are urging the passage of several other bills to protect drinking water and public health from emerging contaminants:
 

• S439/A445 - bans PFAS chemicals in firefighting foam
• S2000/A4739 - bans PFAS chemicals in food packaging
• S4389/A6295 - bans 1,4-dioxane in personal care products
• S3337-C/A5477-C - extends the statute of limitations extender for public water supplies to hold polluters accountable
• A7625 - requires industry to test surrounding groundwater and surface water

“Since 2017 we’ve made historic investments in water quality, but it’s only as good as our implementation and oversight. New Yorkers – especially those depending on smaller water systems – deserve the same protections as the rest of us, and that means monitoring for emerging contaminants statewide," said Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard N. Gottfried. "No one should have to wait any longer for comprehensive testing for these potentially dangerous chemicals.”

Maureen Cunningham, Senior Director for Clean Water at Environmental Advocates of New York stated, “No one in New York wants to drink contaminated water. Unbelievably, New York has now waited 1,001 days for a promised emerging contaminant monitoring list that is stalled in the New York State Department of Health. We are grateful for the leadership of Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard Gottfried – his legislation would test the drinking water of 2.5 million New Yorkers whose water has not been tested. We now need to act quickly to set strong drinking water standards for emerging contaminants and prevent these toxic chemicals from entering our water supplies in the first place.”