New York

Comprehensive Overview of Water Quality in New York

New York state has vast and diverse water resource consisting of two Great Lakes, 70,000 feet of rivers and streams, over 7,600 lakes, ponds and reservoirs, fresh climate and the Atlantic Ocean. These water systems support the existence of millions of people, business, agriculture, recreation and healthy ecosystems within the state. There are two principal organizations that take care of regulating the water quality in New York, i.e., New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH).

They socialize to make sure the drinking water is safe, keep track of pollution, oversee compliance with regulatory needs, and promote the extension of local water facilities. Water quality has mostly been rated as good in New York especially in the up states where much of the drinking water in the state is located. However, the major cities such as New York City, buffalo, rochester and Albany still have issues regarding antique infrastructure, pollution and climate change.

New York Water Quality Challenges

1. Aging Infrastructure and Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs)

Majority of water systems in big cities such as New York and New York City are over 100 years old. These are the joined sewer systems in which a storm and sewage commingle in one pipe. Such systems tend to overflow during the rainy seasons letting raw wastewater to leak into rivers and ports. These overflows occur in many of our rivers which include Hudson River, Newtown creek and Gowanus Canal among others, hindering any recreational activities and leading to high levels of bacteria.

2. Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)

Similar to other Northeast states, New York and its waterbodies are experiencing a rise in harmful algal blooms (HABs). New York is witnessing some of its lakes and reservoirs, such as Cayuga Lake, Owasco Lake, and Skaneateles Lake and their waterbodies with drinking sources, experiencing growing HABs. The flowers are promoted by the remaining nutrients such as the phosphorus and nitrogen, the prevalent ones being the farm overflow, lawn fertilizer and the septic tanks. HABs pose a great threat to the health and safety of the population who drink the water particularly in warm summer seasons.

3. PFAS Contamination

With its many drinking water systems in and around industrial centers and older military bases, the presence of forever chemicals, also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), have been discovered in multiple locations all around the state. PFAS-in-water Hoosick Falls and Newburgh are well-publicized instances of water supplies with PFAS issues that lead to emergency declarations and current remediation work in the states. New York has followed the requirements of testing of PFAS and they have set low values of PFOS and PFOA in the water supply.

4. Lead in Drinking Water

Despite the being a well-recognized fact that the water supply of the city of New York is most pure, yet the aspect of lead contamination both in the older housing and in the piping network of its city schools where we still find lead pipes and lead plumbing fixtures can pose itself. The NYSDOH and the local health departments are also attempting to hasten the replacement of lead service lines and to promote water testing and especially in vulnerable communities.

5. Agricultural and Urban Runoff

In the Western and Central New York, agricultural activities take place in the rural areas which are the cause of nonpoint source pollution. Application of fertilizers, manure and pesticides find their way into the water ways thereby disrupting the quality and biodiversity of water supply. Storm water run-off continues to dispose contaminant to the surface water and ground water supply in cities.

State and Local Efforts to Improve Water Quality

New York State has already come up with ambitious programs and incorporated immense funding to overcome its complex water quality problems. The security of water in all regions is enhanced by the state, which is evaluated by laws, infrastructure investments, and education of citizens.

1. Clean Water Infrastructure Act

The Clean Water Infrastructure Act is a multi-billion dollar economy in New York in 2017 on drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. The act equips funding to replace the lead pipes, upgrade the septic system and construct the green infrastructure. Over 5 billion dollars worth of statewide investments have already been made in order to support resilience water quality in the long-term.

2. HABs Action Plan

The state has responded to the occurrence of algal blooms by instituting the HABs Initiative to liaise with local governments and institutions of higher learning on tracking, averting, and reducing the outbreaks. More than 12 priority waterbodies have been customized plan of action that consists of short term response and long term nutrient reduction activity.

3. PFAS Response and Drinking Water Protection

New York has already implemented some of the most stringent PFAS limits in the nation whereby all the community water systems needed to test their water systems on PFOA and also the PFOS. There is also the Drinking Water Quality Council established by the state which advises MCLs (Maximum Contaminant Levels) and coordinates on remedial events. Municipalities and individual owners of private wells can take loans to clean up the affected sources.

4. Green Infrastructure and CSO Reduction

Green infrastructure solutions used in the management of stormwater runoff and combined sewer overflows including bioswales, rain gardens and permeable pavement are used in such cities as New York City, Syracuse and Buffalo. These measures improve the water quality and the green spaces of the community and its flood resilience.

5. Watershed Protection Programs

New York city is having one of the best watershed protection program. It boasts with Catskill/Delaware watershed supplying the 90 percent of the drinking water to the city and it is controlled with help of land preservation, farm pollution control and forestry. This is a preventive measure that helps NYC to enjoy clean water without the need of filtering it at a high expense.

Impact of Climate Change on Water Quality

As climate change takes effect, it is already redefining the water quality relationships in New York State with both direct and indirect implications on the public health, the ecosystem, and the infrastructure.

1. Intensified Storms and Flooding

Higher amounts of precipitation and increasing heavy precipitation events are leading to increasing stormwater runoff and sanitary sewer overflows, particularly in urban locations. Bacteria, heavy metals, and debris are moved into the waterways by the floodwaters causing treatment plants to be overloaded and creating health risks. The increase in flood risks in upstate communities and the Hudson Valley also poses a danger to the integrity of water infrastructure and private wells.

2. Drought and Lower Water Levels

In spite of this trend of increased rains, New York is subjected to droughts also, mostly during the late summer and long dry weather periods. This set of conditions has the potential to make pollutants more concentrated in smaller water bodies and smaller amounts of clean water available, particularly to those in rural settings that rely on wells. There are also lower streamflows which affect fish migration and aquatic ecosystems especially in Adirondack and Catskill.

3. Warming Temperatures and Algal Growth

An increase in the air and water temperature creates a happier environment where cyanobacterial blooms in lakes and reservoirs are concerned. Stagnant warm water may cause excessive growth of algal especially in nutrient-rich conditions. New York is deploying lake aeration systems and real-time monitoring to get ahead of the risk of blooms in popular recreation and tourism regions, including the Finger Lakes and Lake George.

4. Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Water Quality

On coast, such as in Long Island, Staten Island, and New York Harbor, a rise in sea level increases saltwater intrusion in freshwater aquifers and this may affect drinking water supply. Coastal flooding is also likely to augment the risk of contaminant expansion in brownfields as well as wastewater facilities. The City of New York is determined in protecting water quality as shown by its ambitious policies, heavy investments in infrastructure and cooperative watershed management approach. Whether it is industrial pollution clean-up, harmful algal bloom reduction, or controlling the emergent contaminants such as PFAS, the state remains on the forefront of environmental and public health matters. But the way forward still needs some vigilance. The incremental pressures of aging infrastructure, urbanization, climate change, and legacy pollution require long-term investments, innovation, and collaboration with the community.