Officials call on EPA to enact strict standards for water contaminants

Congress members, environmentalists and water suppliers want the EPA to enact strict standards for contaminants found in drinking water.

News 12 Staff

Jun 18, 2019, 7:42 PM

Updated 1,781 days ago

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Long Island's bipartisan congressional delegation, environmentalists and water suppliers are calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to enact strict standards for contaminants found in drinking water.
They're also calling for more money to filter out the contaminants.
About 10 days ago, Long Island's congressional delegation -- two Republicans and two Democrats -- sent a letter to the EPA, urging the agency to immediately enact strict standards for 1,4-dioxane and other contaminants that have been linked to cancer and developmental issues. They hadn't heard back by Tuesday.
Water experts say there are two separate and expensive filtration systems that would need to be installed on affected wells. A carbon treatment system that filters out PFOA and PFOS -- both pollutants -- and an advanced oxidation process system that filters out 1,4-dioxane.
The New York Department of Health estimates it would cost at least $850 million to install water treatment systems at 645 public water facilities statewide.
On Tuesday evening, the EPA issued a statement that reads: "EPA appreciates the congressional delegation's interest and commitment to the community. EPA shares that commitment to protect public health and the environment and we are working to develop a response to the members."


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