Senator Phillips Announces Senate Passage of Legislation to Protect Long Island’s Drinking Water

     Senator Elaine Phillips (R-Manhasset) announced that the New York State Senate passed legislation aimed at protecting Long Island’s drinking water.  Senator Phillips is a cosponsor of the legislation.

     The bill (S3213) would require facilities that process compost or land clearing debris in Nassau and Suffolk Counties to test their water outflow quarterly.  A study by the Suffolk County Department of Health of 11 such facilities found high levels of contaminants leaching into the groundwater near these facilities, including heavy metals, manganese, ammonia and arsenic.  In response, the State’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) set regulations requiring these facilities to test their water outflow.  This legislation would build upon DEC’s regulations.  

     “Addressing and preventing water contamination must remain a priority, because Long Island’s entire drinking water supply comes from sole-source aquifers.  Health officials have raised concerns that the materials being discharged by composting facilities could pose a threat to our water supply.  While we want to encourage composting as a way to reduce the amount of waste that ultimately ends up in our trash and takes up precious landfill space, continued monitoring and tracking is needed so that corrective action can be taken, before this becomes a bigger problem.  This is another positive step forward to protect our drinking water,” said Senator Phillips. 

     The legislation has been sent to the Assembly.