New York State Must Continue to Invest in Clean Water Infrastructure!
Much of New York’s wastewater and drinking water infrastructure is aging and failing, putting public health and our environment at risk. New York State has made significant investments to upgrade water infrastructure in recent years, however, much more needs to be done to provide clean water for all New Yorkers. CCE leads efforts to fight for clean water infrastructure funding in New York State and will continue this work in the years ahead!
Why should New Yorkers be concerned about the state’s wastewater and drinking water infrastructure?
The American Society of Civil Engineers gave New York’s drinking water infrastructure a grade of C- and its wastewater systems a grade of D+.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are at least 494,000 lead drinking water service lines in New York, the sixth highest of all states in the nation. Lead is a toxic heavy metal—there is no safe level of exposure to lead in drinking water, especially for infants and children. All lead pipes must be replaced.
According to reports generated by New York’s Sewage Pollution Right to Know law, there are 5 overflows of raw or partially treated sewage into New York waters every day. Sewage overflows make people sick, close beaches, kill fish, and hamper economic development.
Nearly 550 public drinking water systems across New York, which serve millions of New Yorkers, contain at least one PFAS “forever chemical” at levels considered to be too high by EPA. Communities across the state are struggling to afford and install the costly treatment technology needed to filter these toxic chemicals from drinking water.
Across the nation, there is a water main break every two minutes, and an estimated six billion gallons of treated water is lost each day. Water main breaks not only threaten access to clean drinking water, but also close schools and businesses, cause sink holes that damage roads, and hurt local economies.
What will it cost to upgrade New York’s water infrastructure?
While repairing and replacing New York’s clean water infrastructure is imperative, it is also costly. The state has conservatively estimated that it will cost about $80 billion to upgrade our wastewater and drinking infrastructure over 20 years.
What is being done to protect clean water and what is needed next?
Since 2017, New York State has appropriated $5.5 billion into the state’s Clean Water Infrastructure Act, which is helping to upgrade sewage treatment plants, filter toxic contaminants out of drinking water, replace lead drinking water pipes, upgrade failing septic systems, protect drinking water at its source, and more. This is helping to make drinking water safe and affordable, protect our environment, and create good jobs in every community across the state (every million dollars invested is creating 17 jobs—extrapolated for the full $5.5 billion appropriated thus far, the program is expected to create 93,000 jobs).
While progress is being made, New York has a long way to go to meet its $80 billion clean water need. Governor Hochul and the legislature must continue to invest in the Clean Water Infrastructure Act in order to provide clean and affordable water for all New Yorkers!
Support us so we can continue to fight for clean water in New York State!