Skoufis Statement on DOH Finalizing Drinking Water Safeguards

"After years of advocacy, the Department of Health finally voted to finalize the stricter water standards that the Drinking Water Quality Council set forth in December of 2018. Over a year ago, DOH, in response to contamination in Newburgh and other communities, agreed to implement these stricter water standards but had been dragging its feet on actually holding a vote to finalize them. 

"Last month, I, along with dedicated advocates and local officials, had to again call on DOH to stop waiting on this. Today, the state's Public Health and Health Planning Council voted to regulate PFAS as a class, and limit these chemicals in drinking water to the lowest detectable and treatable levels; establish an emerging contaminant monitoring list; invest at least $1 billion annually in the Clean Water Infrastructure Act to ensure adequate funding for treatment technology; and ensure testing data transparency. 

"I’ll never stop fighting for our residents' access to clean and safe water because healthy drinking water is a basic human right. I'm thankful to the advocates who helped continue this fight and to the Department of Health for doing what's right for New Yorkers."  

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