Clean Water – A Simple but Elusive Concept

By Dan Gulizio

Clean Water. Drinkable, swimmable, fishable water. It is a simple concept, universally agreed upon. Yet, by all accounts, ground and surface water quality have declined dramatically in recent years.

According to the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, nitrogen (a leading contaminant of both ground and surface water) has increased by as much as 200% in our drinking water supplies. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have doubled in concentration and quadrupled in frequency and Health officials have now detected 117 pesticide-related compounds in our drinking water supplies. 117.

Because our surface waters are groundwater fed, we can also see a host of impacts to our bays, rivers and harbors. In 2014, there were 238 beach closures and advisories issued by Suffolk County. 238. The list of waters designated as impaired by New York State continues to grow and now includes the Long Island Sound, South Shore and Peconic estuary systems. In addition, local lobster, clam and scallop populations have collapsed and the frequency and prevalence of harmful algal blooms continues to increase. Recently, fish kills and turtle die-offs highlighted the ongoing collapse of the region’s water quality.

In order to successfully address these issues, we must first recognize that we didn’t inherit these problems. We caused them through decades of unsustainable land use practices, ineffective sanitary standards and a regulatory process driven by special interest needs and petty politics –instead of the desire to protect public health and environmental quality.

We must also recognize that we can’t simply buy our way out of this mess. Suffolk residents have already spent over $2 billion on open space acquisitions in order to protect water quality. $2 billion and water quality has only declined. In addition, billions in new sewer infrastructure are no cure for unsustainable land use practices, ineffective sanitary standards and an economic development model guided by the phrase “build, baby build.”

To be successful, we need to focus less on individual projects and pay more attention to the broad policies and processes that determine our development patterns. For instance, the County has made water quality a top priority but at the same time, the County Executive has stated that economic development should be the core mission of the Department of Health Services (DOHS). The County Executive has also raided the Drinking Water Protection Fund to balance the budget and cut critically needed staff within the DOHS – resulting in reduced inspections, testing, monitoring and enforcement actions.

To be successful, we also need to better balance environmental protection, economic development and social equity considerations. By any objective measure, the thirst for economic development has overwhelmed the capacity of our environmental resources. Reversing these trends won’t be easy, but it is not as difficult as one might think. Here are three simple steps to get started. 

Science-Driven Policy. Environmental quality and the protection of our precious water resources must be guided by science, not special interest needs and petty politics. The County Department of Health must be compelled to adopt a new scientifically supported water resources management plan which establishes numeric standards for each of the region’s watersheds.

Tougher Sanitary Standards. The County’s sanitary standards have proven to be woefully inadequate. In fact, a survey of other counties across the country failed to reveal a single county with less restrictive standards. Despite this fact, special interests have continued to fight the enactment of tougher standards. It is time to take the politics out of the region’s water quality and enact more effective standards.

Improve the Regulatory Process. Fighting individual development projects has proven to be ineffective. Civics have won individual battles but are clearly losing the war. We must begin to focus more attention on making changes to the regulatory process. Getting the regulatory process to promote public health and environmental quality will reduce the need to fight individual applications. After all, the purpose of the regulatory process is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public – not advance the needs of special interests.

The good news is, despite the challenges, we can and will reverse these alarming trends and improve water quality. Recognizing that we have a water quality crisis is a good first step. Refocusing our efforts on broad policy and the regulatory processes that guide decision-making will also help. Finally, we must realize that clean water is our right.

A simple right like access to clean water ought not to be elusive.

Dan Gulizio is the Executive Director of Peconic Baykeeper (PBK). PBK is a Not-For-Profit water advocacy organization committed to swimmable, fishable and drinkable water. Dan was previously the Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development for the Town of Islip, the Commissioner of the Department of Planning, Environment and Land Management for the Town of Brookhaven, the Deputy Director of Planning for Nassau County and the Deputy Director of Planning for Suffolk County. Dan is a graduate of Colby College, has a M.S. degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Columbia University and a J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law. Dan has been a resident of the Town of Huntington for over 20 years.