New York Approves New Drinking Water Treatment Technology
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the State’s Department of Health has conditionally approved New York’s first use of a technology known as Advanced Oxidative Process (AOP) to remove 1,4-dioxane from drinking water. This approval was given to the Suffolk County Water Authority to utilize AOP at its Commercial Boulevard well field to remove 1,4-dioxane, a chemical that is relatively widespread in the area’s groundwater and is not readily removed by conventional drinking water treatment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has yet to establish a national regulatory standard for 1,4-dioxane despite New York State urging them to do so in February 2017.
“New York is stepping up to protect and preserve drinking water resources in the absence of federal standards,” Gov. Cuomo said. “We will continue to advance the latest treatment technologies to ensure our public drinking water systems are safeguarded from these unregulated chemicals that threaten the health of New Yorkers and the environment.”
With today’s conditional approval, the system will enter an enhanced monitoring phase to ensure that the system continues to operate effectively. AOP processes effectively degrade organic contaminants, such as 1,4-dioxane, by producing strong reactive compounds that break the chemical bonds. This type of technology has not been previously used in drinking water treatment in New York State.
“As we face more and more legacy drinking water pollution from decades old industry in New York State, the need for innovative treatment technology and standardized levels to protect health continues to grow,” New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said. “This exciting and unique treatment process ensures clean drinking water for the residents on Long Island and has the potential to pave the way for new treatments for drinking water systems statewide.”
On Long Island, the primary source of 1,4-dioxane pollution occurred from legacy industrial use as a stabilizer for other solvents. EPA has released several different guidance or reference concentrations for 1,4-dioxaneincluding a lifetime drinking water health advisory level of 200 parts per billion.
The new treatment technology complements New York’s historic $2.5 billion Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017, an investment that acknowledges the significant and complex nature of maintaining New York’s nearly 10,000 public drinking water systems. This bold investment helps local communities complete drinking water infrastructure construction projects and manage water emergencies, and provides resources needed to investigate and mitigate emerging contaminants to ensure access to cleaner, drinkable water for all New Yorkers.
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