Legislators Urge Department of Health to Impose Maximum Contaminant Levels
New York State legislators Ellen Jaffee and Liz Krueger have called on the Department of Health to impose the maximum allowable amounts of PFOA, PFOS and 1,4-dioxane in drinking water.
Separate letters were sent to Howard Zucker, the DOH’s Commissioner, by the three legislators asking for mandatory levels of 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS and 0.3 parts per billion for 1,4-dioxane.
Ellen Jaffee, a Rockland County Democrat, wrote that the Drinking Water Quality Council had failed to be, “the champion for clean water that New York needs.”
The Drinking Water Quality Council, which was created in September 2017 and consists of twelve members, was given the responsibility to make recommendations for maximum contamination levels for PFOA, PFOS and 1,4-dioxane in drinking water by the end of September, which they were unable to do.
“New Yorkers cannot wait any longer to have their drinking water protected from these dangerous chemicals,” wrote Liz Krueger, a Manhattan Democrat.
“To meet this important goal, DOH must take immediate action to establish MCLs for these chemicals,” she wrote. “Your leadership will be of critical importance to ensure that when New Yorkers turn on their taps, they can rest assured that their water is clean and safe to drink.”
Click here to read the letters written to the Department of Health.
The New York State Drinking Water Quality Council met earlier this week after months of delay, where they heard the concerns of residents who have been affected by contaminated water.