ALBANY – In the wake of
contaminated water supplies in the City of Newburgh and Hoosick Falls,
state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office has released a report
calling for more protections to ensure clean water.
First Deputy Comptroller Peter Grannis said federal regulations are at
risk with the Trump Administration and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.
He said more must be done on the state level with the health department
being more involved.
“The health department is going to have to do more to alert citizens,
to test water, to alert citizens of possible illness effects associated
with some of the chemicals found in the drinking water supply and then
move to try to clean those up,” he said.
The comptroller’s report recommends creating a statewide response
plan to address drinking water contamination incident; create a statewide
program to proactively monitor the health of residents exposed to drinking
water contaminants; apply a more precautionary approach to contaminants
that are unregulated at the federal level; and broaden the scope of review
when identifying emerging contaminants.
