clean water

Rain garden at Huntington Beach helps divert pollutants from stormwater

Rain garden at Huntington Beach helps divert pollutants from stormwater

A rain garden designed to keep Huntington Harbor free of pollutants from stormwater runoff has been installed at a known flooding area near Gold Star Battalion Beach.

Algae blooms threaten Long Island wildlife and waterways

Algae blooms threaten Long Island wildlife and waterways

Harmful algae blooms spread across LI waters

Harmful algae blooms are popping up in multiple bodies of water across Long Island. FOX 5 NY’s Jodi Goldberg explains what’s causing this and the impact it's having on fish and other animals.

LONG ISLAND - Harmful algae blooms are popping up in multiple bodies of water across Long Island.

New York First to Ban Harmful Chemical Found in Shampoo, Cleaning Products

New York First to Ban Harmful Chemical Found in Shampoo, Cleaning Products

On September 18th, new regulations were announced, adopting new regulations to reduce the presence of 1,4-dioxane in household cleaning, personal care, and cosmetic products.

According to Sean Mahar, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar, New York State is the first in the country to adopt regulations that reduce 1,4-dioxane in these product categories to help protect consumers and natural resources and create healthier communities.

Dozens of Manorville homes will be connected to public water in $11 million project

Dozens of Manorville homes will be connected to public water in $11 million project

Soon after Ron Martz built his home on River Road in Manorville in 1993, tests of his private well water revealed high levels of iron.

Riverhead Town officials rejected his requests to connect to public water, he said. "We were told, ‘You will never get public water here,' " Martz, 71, recalled in a recent interview. "Never."

Long Island water quality continues to improve. Here's what a new report says.

Long Island water quality continues to improve. Here's what a new report says.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- A new report released on Thursday says drinking water is slowly getting safer on Long Island.

The findings credit stringent state and federal guidelines and mandatory chemical filtering from water suppliers. As CBS News New York's Jennifer McLogan reports, although multiple water districts exceed limits, there is overall growing improvement.

Drinking water source 'under stress': Study underscores burden on Long Island's aquifer

Drinking water source 'under stress': Study underscores burden on Long Island's aquifer

For years, conservationists have warned that too much drinkable water is being extracted from the aquifer — a critical repository deep below Long Island — but there wasn't a lot of recent data to define the extent of the problem.

That was until an eight-year study released in August found the aquifer is "under stress," leading to saltwater intrusion, draining of some groundwater-fed streams and abandonment of degraded public wells. The authors of the study, a collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey and the state Department of Environmental Conservation, note some of these problems date back decades and have been exacerbated by climate change. 

Riverhead officials told Manorville residents they’d never have public water. It took a decade, but yesterday, residents proved them wrong.

Riverhead officials told Manorville residents they’d never have public water. It took a decade, but yesterday, residents proved them wrong.

It was a sight to behold. And one that was a long time coming.

Suffolk County Water Authority contractors who are installing mains that will carry clean drinking water to homes in a remote section of Manorville crossed into Riverhead Town from Brookhaven yesterday.

Four residents who were instrumental in the years-long fight for access to public water gathered midday on Wading River Manor Road and River Road to witness what was for them a momentous occasion.

Manorville Water Project Hits Next Phase

Manorville Water Project Hits Next Phase

The last batch of homes with private wells believed to be polluted by subterranean toxins are expected to soon be connected to the Suffolk County Water Authority system, officials said.

Suffolk County Water Authority breaks ground on water main extension

Suffolk County Water Authority breaks ground on water main extension

The Suffolk County Water Authority began work Monday on a major water main extension to bring public water to 64 homes in the Riverhead Town sections of Manorville and Calverton, taking them off private wells that have been shown to be contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. 

Northwell Health dismissal request a new wrinkle in contamination lawsuit

Northwell Health dismissal request a new wrinkle in contamination lawsuit

A motion this month by Northwell Health to dismiss a lawsuit alleging the hospital system’s air conditioners contaminated groundwater represented another twist in a nearly six-month-old court battle.

Water quality advocates pushing Navy to test for chemical drums at former Grumman site

Water quality advocates pushing Navy to test for chemical drums at former Grumman site

Water quality advocates in Calverton, prompted by recent discoveries of chemical drums at Bethpage Community Park, are calling on the U.S. Navy to investigate whether similar barrels also are buried in the hamlet, where Northrop Grumman once operated an aerospace facility.

Governor Hochul Celebrates Record $2.2 Billion Investment in Water Infrastructure in 2024

Governor Hochul Celebrates Record $2.2 Billion Investment in Water Infrastructure in 2024

Environmental Facilities Corporation's Financial Assistance is Making Projects Affordable for New Yorkers, Safeguarding Drinking Water, and Improving Water Quality in Support of Nation-Leading Clean Water Goals

EFC Investments Highlighted in the Corporation’s Annual Program Metrics Report

New Project Impact Dashboard Enables the Public to Track Project Investments Statewide

Protecting aquifers, Long Island’s only source of drinking water

Protecting aquifers, Long Island’s only source of drinking water

More than 100 billion gallons of water will be used for lawn maintenance alone across Long Island this summer — enough to fill 150,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools — and the cost shows up in more than just your water bill.

APA should pause ProcellaCOR permits to assess herbicide’s safety

APA should pause ProcellaCOR permits to assess herbicide’s safety

Re: Moratorium on ProcellaCOR Permitting Pending PFAS and Human Health and Ecological Impact Concerns  

Dear Adirondack Park Agency Executive Director Barbara Rice, 

The undersigned are writing to express our deep concern regarding the recently disclosed Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) information on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) within  pesticides, including florpyrauxifen-benzyl which is the active chemical ingredient in ProcellaCOR EC and  SE. As the Adirondack Park Agency is aware, ProcellaCOR EC is the less concentrated form of  ProcellaCOR SE, both of which are manufactured by the SePRO Corporation, the former of which has  been recently approved for use in several lakes in the Adirondacks. 

Suffolk takes step toward sales tax hike to fund sewers

Suffolk takes step toward sales tax hike to fund sewers

Suffolk County lawmakers on Tuesday moved a step closer to allowing residents to vote in a November referendum on a proposed 0.125% sales tax increase to fund a sweeping expansion of sewers and high-tech septic systems throughout the county.

Governor signs change to law authorizing Suffolk sales tax hike, teeing up November vote

Governor signs change to law authorizing Suffolk sales tax hike, teeing up November vote

An amendment to the law that allows Suffolk County to increase its sales tax rate by 1/8 of a cent to finance the installation of sewer and advanced septic systems was signed into law today by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

The governor’s signature on the amendment, negotiated by state and county lawmakers, sets the stage for the county to put a referendum on ballot in this year’s general election seeking voter approval of the sales tax increase.

Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Protect Public Health, Improve Water Quality in Suffolk County

Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Protect Public Health, Improve Water Quality in Suffolk County

Legislation S.8473/A.8993 Amends the Suffolk Water Quality Restoration Act

Advances Ballot Referendum to Fund Long Term Investments in Clean Water for Suffolk County

Governor Kathy Hochul today signed the Suffolk Water Quality Restoration Act to protect public health and improve water quality. Legislation S.8473/A.8993 will allow Suffolk County to put forward a ballot referendum that would fund long term investments in clean water systems and technology – revitalizing wastewater infrastructure for the residents of Suffolk County.

Hempstead drinking water said to contain high levels of cancer-causing chemicals

Hempstead drinking water said to contain high levels of cancer-causing chemicals

Hempstead water has cancer-causing chemicals

Scientists say the drinking water in Hempstead is contaminated with a likely cancer-causing chemical. FOX 5 NY's Jodi Goldberg takes a closer look.

Legislators, Advocates Urge Albany to Take Action to Protect Against PFAS Exposure

Legislators, Advocates Urge Albany to Take Action to Protect Against PFAS Exposure

ALBANY, NY (May 15, 2024) — Today state legislators and advocates called for the immediate passage of a set of bills to reduce human exposure to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and limit environmental contamination from PFAS in New York, including:

  • a bill to eliminate PFAS in key consumer and household products (A3556C/S5648C),

  • a bill to eliminate PFAS and other toxic chemicals in personal care and cosmetic products (A6969/S4265), 

  • a bill to eliminate PFAS and other toxic products in menstrual products (A5990/S3529), 

  • and a bill to require testing for the presence of PFAS released into waterways (A3296A/S227B).