In 2012 CCE secured you the right to know when raw sewage was released into the waters near you. We've been working the NYS DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) to implement the law and get a system in place to notify you when those overflows occur. The DEC recently announced that you could sign up through NY-ALERT to receive sewage overflow notifications. You can sign up for NY-ALERT notifications here: https://users.nyalert.gov/ DEC also created an instructional video to help you sign up for the alert system. You can find it here.
CCE has fought hard to get you these notices. Sewage treatment operators will enter overflow notifications into the system and they will go directly to you -however you choose to get them. This system allows you to customize your notifications so you can get them via email, text message, or both.
More about Sewage Pollution Right to Know
CCE started the campaign to get you the right to know because every summer we would phone calls from members and supporters asking if we knew what was going on in the waters where they were recreating. We recognize that other pollutants plague our waters (things like harmful algal blooms), but unfortunately we know all too well that too many people are exposed to raw sewage pollution because they don't know the pollution is there.
To learn more about Sewage Right to Know Law visit CCE's site or New York State DEC's site.
There is still more to do
While the Sewage Right to Know law states that all sewage overflows are required to be reported, there are still communities who need updated technology to aid in reporting requirements. Additionally, some communities have not been integrated into the existing reporting system. CCE will continue to work for full implementation of the Sewage Right to Know Law and ensure that ALL New Yorkers have access to the information that reduces their exposure to raw sewage.