🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
A New York mayor has issued an emergency plea to the federal government after officials discovered a carcinogen in the village's water supply.
Officials found concerning levels of 1,4-dioxane, a possible carcinogen, in all nine wells in the village of Hempstead, New York. Mayor Waylyn Hobbs, Jr. hopes that the federal government will cover the cost of a new water treatment system, considering the village's water system is more than 100 years old. However, it could take years to complete.
Read more: Emergency Funds: How to Build One and Where to Keep It
Hempstead has requested the federal government fund a new water treatment system that will remove 1,4-dioxane and PFAS, or "forever chemicals." The facility is priced at $55 million, and the Village Board has approved efforts to pursue a $50 million bond to start the project, news station WABC reported.
"We will not allow the Village of Hempstead to be another Flint, Michigan," Hobbs told the New York Post on Tuesday.
Newsweek reached out to Hobbs via email for comment.
However, the project could take years to complete, and taxpayers still face the risk of being saddled with the burden if the federal government refuses to help. The wait also means residents will be exposed to the water, but the New York State Department of Health said the water "does not pose a significant health risk" and remains acceptable for all uses, even though the maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for 1,4-dioxane were breached.
"MCLS are set well below levels known to cause health effects. While the water supply has had samples that tested higher than the maximum contaminant level (MCL), they have taken interim steps to minimize 1,4-dioxane in delivered water," the department said in a statement, according to WABC.
The water concerns in Hempstead have come as municipalities around the nation have considered improving their water treatment systems to meet new requirements from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about the levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, in the water supply.
PFAS encompass thousands of man-made chemicals found in everyday items like nonstick cookware, firefighting foams, grease-resistant food wrappers, water-resistant clothing and other items. PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals" because of the long time it takes the chemicals to break down, can cause harm in high exposure amounts.
The new rules will require utilities to reduce levels of "forever chemicals" to the lowest possible level they can be measured. In 2022, the EPA issued a revised warning that even small amounts of some PFAS chemicals could pose risks to people if consumed
About the writer
Anna Skinner is a Newsweek senior reporter based in Indianapolis. Her focus is reporting on the climate, environment and weather ... Read more