Report: High levels of sewage found in Hudson River

There are new concerns about the Hudson River after a recent study found high levels of sewage in the water. Watchdog group Riverkeeper says that 23 percent of the samples it has taken in the Hudson

News 12 Staff

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Jun 30, 2015, 1:37 AM

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Updated 3,467 days ago

There are new concerns about the Hudson River after a recent study found high levels of sewage in the water.

Watchdog group Riverkeeper says that 23 percent of the samples it has taken in the Hudson River estuary failed EPA guidelines for safe swimming. The national average at beaches is 10 percent.

The report found that trouble spots tend to be near areas where there are failing infrastructure, and where the creeks and streams feed into the river.

Riverkeeper patrol boat captain John Lipscomb says the Hudson River is better than it was, but that it's not as good as it should be.

While the report concerns many residents, Jay Seagren and his family were out fishing and boating Monday. They say they are optimistic about the results of the quality of the water in Ossining.

"As long as you watch how much you eat the fish, it's still a healthy river and getting healthier every day," he says.

Riverkeeper is calling for more resources for sewage infrastructure and more staff at the DEC to enforce environmental law.