NYS Health Department Adopts Strongest Drinking Water Quality Standards in Nation for 1,4-Dioxane, PFOA, and PFOS
In a historic decision for drinking water protection, the NYS Department of Health (DOH) officially adopted the strongest enforceable drinking water standards for three emerging contaminants. DOH adopted a drinking water Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) of 10 parts per trillion (ppt) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), 10 ppt for perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and 1 part per billion (ppb) for 1,4-dioxane, as recommended by the New York State Drinking Water Quality Council (DWQC). The DWQC was established by legislation passed in 2017 to address the issue of emerging contaminants in New York. New York State is the first state to implement a drinking water standard for the probable carcinogen 1,4-dioxane.
1,4-Dioxane, PFOA, and PFOS are known harmful chemicals that have contaminated drinking water supplies across New York. Without a federally enforceable drinking water standards, New York has stepped up and adopted the nation’s strongest standards prioritizing public health and drinking water protections for families, communities, and individuals.
The highest levels of 1,4 dioxane found in drinking water in the Nation are found on Long Island. CCE mapped each Long Island water district and the highest level of 1,4 dioxane found. CCE also conducted independent testing of household products which found 80% of products have detectable levels of 1,4 dioxane, some as high as 17,000ppb. CCE conducted widespread public education campaigns on the importance and critical need for implementing an enforceable drinking water standard.
1,4 Dioxane cannot be filtered out of drinking water using standard home filtration devices. These new enforceable standards will ensure that water suppliers use the necessary treatment and provide for the removal of this harmful toxin. The public made their voices heard by submitting thousands of letters to the Department of Health supporting the creation of safer drinking water standard.
PFAS, which is often referred to as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in our environment and bodies, are used in firefighting foam, food packaging, and in many water-resistant, stain-proof, and nonstick product. New York State has experienced some high-profile cases of PFAS contamination in public drinking water supplies, including Newburgh, 5 communities across Suffolk County, and Hoosick Falls, NY. Officials estimate that 23% of public water wells in New York need treatment for PFAS. In 2019, CCE advocated to pass legislation that bans PFAS in firefighting foam. This year, CCE successfully advocated for a law banning the use of all PFAS chemicals in food packaging.
Long Island has been the epicenter of 1,4-dioxane pollution. Of 4,400 water supply systems tested nationwide by the EPA, Long Island has the highest levels of 1,4-dioxane detection, with some water systems in both Nassau and Suffolk containing levels over 100 times the EPA’s cancer risk guideline. 1,4-Dioxane is found in 80% of cleaning and personal care products, including baby products, shampoos, body washes, lotions, and laundry detergents and has historically been used as an industrial solvent stabilizer. CCE successfully advocated for a law passed in 2019 to phase out 1,4-dioxane in consumer products, beginning in 2023.