NY Adopts Strict Standard For Likely Carcinogen In Drinking Water

NEW YORK CITY — New York has adopted the nation's first drinking water standard for 1,4-dioxane, a chemical that likely causes cancer and has been detected in groundwater across Long Island.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday said the state has set a maximum threshold for the contaminant at 1 part per billion. The 1,4-dioxane chemical was used as a stabilizer in solvents, paint strippers, greases, and wax. The state approved a new treatment technology for the chemical in called advanced oxidative process, which was first approved to treat a well in the Suffolk County Water Authority in 2018.

Cuomo also announced that the maximum threshold for emerging contaminants PFOA and PFOS in New York's drinking water are now at 10 parts per trillion, far below the federal guideline of 70 parts per trillion.

PFOA is a chemical that was used to make non-stick, stain resistant, and water repellent products. PFOS was used in aqueous film-forming firefighting foam. New York spent millions through the state Superfund program to install granular activated carbon filtration systems to remove PFOA and PFOS from tainted water supplies in several communities.

PFAS contamination is a public health concern that federal and state health officials are interested in studying further, according to the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The agency cited studies linking PFAS contamination to liver problems, low birth weight, some cancers and other health issues. While more research is needed to determine just how toxic the chemicals are to humans and animals, the "forever chemical," as it's often called, has lawmakers on both sides of the aisle concerned.

Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, co-chairman of a congressional PFAS task force, has called PFAS "one of the most widespread public health crises" that Americans face today. Democratic Rep. Dan Kildee of Michigan has said veterans and their families have become increasingly alarmed about the chemical around bases.

The announcements in New York follow a public comment period and approval by the Public Health and Health Planning Council.

"While the federal government continues to leave emerging contaminants like 1,4-Dioxane, PFOA and PFOS unregulated, New York is leading the way by setting new national standards that help ensure drinking water quality and safeguard New Yorker's health from these chemicals," Cuomo said in a news release. "The environmental movement was founded in this great state and we will continue to move forward to protect our most precious resources for generations to come."

See also:

• Plainview Water District Breaks Ground On State-Of-The-Art Plant
• Plainview Water District Seeks $25.8M Bond To Treat Carcinogen
  
• Hicksville Water District Gets $14M To Fight Likely Carcinogen
  
• 'Tough Decision': Hicksville Water District Institutes Moratorium
• Port Washington Water District Gets $18M For 3 Treatment Plants

Under the new regulations, public water systems must regularly test and monitor for the contaminants, regardless of size. All three contaminants have been detected in drinking water systems across the country, but remain unregulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which is responsible for setting regulatory limits under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

The state created a drinking water quality council as part of the 2017-18 executive budget to provide recommendations to the state Department of Health to address emerging contaminants resulting from decades-old industrial pollution. The council's first directive was to conduct a scientific review of PFOA, PFOS and 1,4-dioxane. Its members comprised of academic scientists, engineers, public water system professionals and experts from the state health and environmental conservation departments.

The amended regulations were published in January and the proposal garnered more than 2,000 public comments. In response to feedback, health officials modified the proposed regulations to create a deferral process for public water systems that proactively tested to come into compliance with the proposed thresholds without being issued a violation notice.

Once the final regulations are published in the state register, systems serving at least 10,000 people must begin testing within 60 days. Systems serving between 3,300 and 9,999 people must begin testing within 90 days, and serving fewer than 3,300 people must begin testing within six months.

Dr. Howard Zucker, the state health commissioner, said the new standards are "some of the lowest and precedent-setting nationwide."

Basil Seggos, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation, said New York adopted "historic and protective drinking water standards" amid lackluster federal oversight.