New York expands drinking water protections for millions

Last week, New York’s leaders did more to protect the Empire State’s rivers and drinking water than at any other time since the modern environmental movement began more than a half a century ago. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature have completed a multi-year plan known as the Water Infrastructure Act of 2017 to invest a whopping $2.5 billion in the Empire State’s sagging water infrastructure.

This new spending will solve a host of pollution problems emanating from aging water treatment plants, leaking septic systems, old landfills, lead in water supply lines, overburdened stormwater systems and the state’s expanding dairy farm industry. Also, companion legislation requires virtually all public drinking water supplies to be tested for a broad suite of “emerging” chemical pollutants, the health impacts of which we’re only starting to understand.

This new testing program will allow us to identify and deal with all the hidden drinking water contamination “hotspots” experts have warned about and restore confidence in the safety of our water supplies in the wake of the devastating contamination problems identified in recent years in the City of Newburgh and the Village of Hoosick Falls.

Finally, a newly enacted drinking […]

Full article: New York expands drinking water protections for millions

More about New York water:

$23 million in state grants aim to prevent sewage overflows, protect WNY waters

New York governor signs law mandating lead testing in schools

New York City’s $1 Billion Leaking Water Infrastructure Repair

New data shows NYC tap water is chock-full of toxic chemicals

Hudson River in Capital District consistently tests high for fecal bacteria in report