New York Must Test Drinking Water for Dangerous Emerging Contaminants!
In recent years, high profile incidents of drinking water contamination in New York communities have highlighted the critical need to improve drinking water protection. Emerging contaminants have polluted drinking water supplies in communities across New York State, often at levels above federal health guidelines. Unfortunately, due to a lack of testing, residents have been left in the dark when dangerous chemicals are lurking in their drinking water. Every New Yorker deserves the right to know if there are dangerous emerging contaminants in their drinking water!
New York State Must Act to Protect our Drinking Water!
New York has made strides in identifying and setting strong drinking water standards for a limited number of emerging contaminants (i.e. PFOA, PFOS, and 1,4-dioxane) but little has been done to address the ever-growing number of new emerging contaminants that threaten public health in communities across the state.
To address the growing threat of emerging contaminants in drinking water, the New York State Senate and Assembly passed legislation (A.126A/S.1759A) to significantly expand drinking water testing. The legislation would:
Expand testing of our drinking water for more contaminants by establishing the state’s first list of emerging contaminants and require that every drinking water system test for these contaminants. This bill lists a minimum of 40 emerging contaminants that all New York public water systems must test for in drinking water. The list includes chemicals known to occur in some NY water systems, as well as new and emerging threats, including many PFAS chemicals (e.g. GenX). The NYS Department of Health would also be required to update the list at least every three years to ensure that all communities are testing for the most up-to-date list of emerging contaminants.
Close the loophole for smaller water systems. Smaller water systems, which serve less than 10,000 residents, would have to test for emerging contaminants. This would help protect the drinking water for an additional 2.5 million New Yorkers.
Background Information
New Emerging Contaminants Pose a Threat to Drinking Water and Public Health
Industries regularly replace toxic chemicals they use for a newer “safer alternative.” Unfortunately, the alternatives are often just as toxic as the chemicals they replace. This has been the case with a chemical known as GenX, which was used to replace a different PFAS chemical, and has now been found polluting water resources in other parts of the country. New York State must stay ahead of the curve and ensure that all water systems in the state are testing the most up-to-date list of emerging contaminants. Expanded testing is needed to protect public health.
Federal Loophole Leaves Smaller Communities at Risk
Regrettably, the federal Safe Drinking Water Act does not require smaller water systems, serving less than 10,000 residents, to test for many emerging contaminants. This federal loophole puts New Yorker’s health at risk—there are approximately 2.5 million New Yorkers served by smaller water systems that do not test for many emerging contaminants, such as chromium-6, a known carcinogen.
This problem was exemplified in December of 2020, when elevated levels of the contaminant known as PFNA were detected in the small public water supply system for the Village of Mayville, NY. PFNA is a member of the class of chemicals known as PFAS, which have been linked to immune disorders, cancer, and other adverse health impacts. As result, the Department of Health issued a “Do Not Drink” advisory and pallets of bottled water were distributed to residents.
Prior to discovering the contamination, Mayville residents were unaware that they were regularly being exposed to a dangerous contaminant every time they turned on the faucet. PFNA could have been detected and treated for much earlier if all New York water systems were required to test for certain emerging contaminants. Across New York, there are millions of residents who are being served by water systems that do not test for emerging contaminants. All water systems, regardless of size, should be testing for dangerous emerging contaminants.
Thank you for taking action!
Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE