Environmental groups, lawmakers and the Suffolk County Water Authority met on Oct. 19 in Holtsville to urge New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign legislation that protects Long Island drinking water from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.
PFAS are a large group of man-made chemicals that repel water, grease and heat. Their durability has led to widespread use in industry and consumer products. The bonds in PFAS are practically indestructible. This leads to PFAS leaching out of man-made products and entering soil and waste streams.
In 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said there is no safe exposure level to PFAS; however, it formally proposed to roll back some limits in May.
“We’re here to say no, as the federal government rolls back and weakens our drinking water standards,” said Adrienne Esposito, the executive director for Citizens Campaign for the Environment. She was joined by Charlie Lefkowitz, chairman of the Suffolk County Water Authority, NYS Sens. Monica Martinez (D-Hauppauge) and Dean Murray (R-Patchogue), and NYS Assemblyman Doug Smith (R-Ronkonkoma) and Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay (D-East Setauket).
“Right now, there is a public health crisis that we’re keeping at bay by making sure that we are filtering our water to a standard that keeps your families healthy,” said Kassay.
The island gets its drinking water from a single source: an underground aquifer, which is a permeable layer of rock or sediment that filters water through physical, chemical, and biological processes. Old, outdated septic tanks can allow contaminants to flow into groundwater.
The proposed bill would strengthen the state’s PFAS drinking water standards to protect against the proposed federal rollbacks. The state Senate and Assembly unanimously passed the measure. With nine weeks left to sign, it is now awaiting action from Hochul.
