Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF, WE - Sag Harbor) today announced that the New York State Drinking Water Quality Council voted to recommend three maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) to Department of Health Commissioner, Howard Zucker. The 2017-18 State Budget created the Drinking Water Quality Council in response to the increasing threat of emerging contaminants in drinking water across the state, which was tasked with recommending MCLs to the Department of Health for PFOA, PFOS, and 1,4-dioxane.

The Council voted to recommend MCLs of 10 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA, 10 ppt for PFOS, and an MCL of 1 part per billion (ppb) for 1,4-dioxane. These represent the strictest MCLs in the country for PFOA and PFOS, and the nation’s first MCL for 1,4-dioxane. All three of these contaminants have been found in New York drinking water. Once officially in effect, MCLs are legally enforceable, and water systems will be required to test contaminant levels and publicly report exceedances.

Commissioner Zucker now has the authority to either accept the recommended MCLs or to propose alternate MCLs for these contaminants, which will be followed by a 60-day public comment period. Following review of submitted public comments, the proposed regulation will either be revised or submitted for adoption by the Public Health and Health Planning Council. Once adopted, public water systems of all sizes would need to test their water within the specified timeframes in the regulations and comply with the adopted MCLs.

Following delayed action in October, Assemblyman Thiele wrote a letter to Commissioner Zucker urging the establishment of these MCLs. Today Thiele stated, “I thank Commissioner Zucker and the entire Council on all of their efforts to recommend these nation-leading MCLs.”

Thiele added, “All over the State, the emergence of these contaminants in our drinking water supply and their harmful effects are becoming increasingly prevalent. Seven locations are currently being impacted by PFOS and PFOA within my Assembly District alone. While these recommendations are certainly a step in the right direction, I urge the Commissioner to implement these necessary regulations immediately, and I remain hopeful for the possibility of even more protective measures in the future.”

Additional information on these recommendations from the NYSDOH can be found here.