New York City’s drinking water could eventually absorb a blow if reservoirs supplying a portion of it become vacated due to rising salinity, according to a new report.
Newsweek reached out to New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala via online form for comment on Friday.
Why It Matters
The reservoirs supply 10 percent of the city’s 9 million people who use the system, the Associated Press (AP) reports.
The elevated salt level is due to road salt being poured on roads repeatedly for years, as it’s spread to prevent ice buildup during winter.
What To Know
The study by the New York City DEP’s Bureau of Water Supply shows the system is getting hampered by the salt but would not need to be pulled offline “until early next century,” the AP notes. Aggarwala spoke to the AP: “The conclusion of this study is that if we don’t change our ways, in 2100 the Croton Water System becomes a nice recreational facility, but it ceases to be a water supply,” adding that it “will directly impact everybody who drinks New York City water.”
The analysis showed that the salinity of the water has tripled in more than 30 years, detected by the chlorides researchers found in the water. The other 90 percent of the city’s water is supplied by reservoirs in the Delaware and Catskill watersheds, which are not as affected by salt due to their more remote locations, the AP reports.
While citing the study, DEP officials also note in a release on Friday that other likely contributing factors of the salinity are “wastewater treatment plant discharges and private water softening systems.”
Democratic New York State Senator Pete Harckham voiced his concern about the water’s salinity, saying on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday: “Rising salinity in the East of Hudson Watershed threatens the fragile drinking water resources for millions of NYers, including many in Putnam and N. Westchester. Today, I joined concerned officials in raising awareness of this issue.”
What People Are Saying
Riverkeeper President and Hudson Riverkeeper Tracy Brown, in a news release on Friday: “We thank DEP for their partnership in taking action to safeguard the health of our ecosystem and our communities.”
Continuing, “The problems identified in the Croton watershed are unfortunately common statewide, and we must use the stark findings in this report to address the issue statewide. Now is the time for smarter use of road salt and the equipment upgrades that will protect our friends, family, and neighbors with high blood pressure, and those on low sodium diets, throughout New York. This is also critical for ecosystem and human health as salt changes water chemistry, leading to increased risk of lead leaching from pipes that carry drinking water, other heavy metals being mobilized from source waters, and the formation of Harmful Algal Blooms.”
Democratic New York State Assembly Member MaryJane Shimsky, in the release on Friday: “DEP’s findings should be a wake-up call to anyone who thinks our water supply is immune to environmental degradation.”
Shimsky added, “Looking at the increase in salinity over the past 40 years, we know that the New Croton Reservoir’s water will no longer be safe to drink by 2108 unless changes are made. We must take the corrective steps needed to protect this resource, and we must do it right away. If we don’t, the damage to our residents, agriculture, and wildlife will be irreversible; and the cost of replacing our water infrastructure far more expensive.”
What Happens Next
Harckham is calling for agencies to unite in combating the salinity concerns.
Read the full article here
