NYC's fresh water supply faces the prospect of depletion if increasing salinity levels are not addressed.
Rewritten Article:
The saltiness creeping into New York City's drinking water reservoirs isn't just a nuisance—it's a crisis looming on the horizon, city officials warn. Decades of road salt usage near these essential water systems are causing an alarming increase in salinity, with potentially dire consequences if no action is taken.
The warning alarm might not ring until the early 21st century, as per a new study, but the trend could eventually taint the Big Apple's world-renowned tap water and challenge managers responsible for supplying water to more than 9 million people.
"If we don't change our ways, by 2100, the Croton Water System basically turns into a fancy recreational area, but it stops being a water supply," Rohit Aggarwala, the city's environmental protection commissioner, told The Associated Press. "And that'll affect everybody who drinks New York City water."
The Croton system, tracing its roots back to 1842 and the first Croton Aqueduct delivering water to what is now Central Park, consists of 12 reservoirs and three controlled lakes.
The report reveals that chloride concentrations, a salinity indicator, tripled in the system's main reservoir from 1987 to 2019, with levels escalating to surpass the state's maximum contaminant level for chloride by 2108. The study found rising salinity across the city's upstate reservoirs but noted that the problem is significantly less pronounced in the Delaware and Catskill watersheds.
Road salt is believed to be a primary culprit for the surge in salinity, along with sewage treatment plant discharges and water softeners. Millions of tons of rock salt are dumped onto US roads each winter as a cost-effective solution to reduce accidents, but the consequences are becoming increasingly clear.
"It's a nationwide problem in snowy areas," said Shannon Roback, science director for environmental group Riverkeeper. "We've seen rising salt levels in water in the Northeast, Midwest, and most places that use road salt."
Roback added that high salt levels in drinking water present various environmental concerns and can pose health risks for those on low-sodium diets.
Aggarwala suggests several approaches to tackle the issue. Removing salt from water via reverse osmosis systems is a possible solution, but it's costly, energy-intensive, and may not be suitable for all affected areas. Mixing Croton water with less salty water from other sources is another option, but it wouldn't be practical for more than a dozen municipalities that rely solely on the Croton system.
City officials believe the most sensible route involves reducing road salt usage locally. This could entail persuading state and local road crews to explore alternatives or adopt smarter application practices, such as sensors to calculate road surface temperatures and shut off salt applicators during plow maneuvers that distribute excess salt.
State Sen. Pete Harckham, representing the area, calls the issue an urgent challenge that requires collaboration among state agencies, local governments, and researchers to address effectively. Harckham supports bills that aim to tackle the road salt issue in various ways, including studying the issue in the Croton watershed.
Public awareness and environmental pollution reduction initiatives are additional strategies that can help mitigate the effects of road salt on water sources. By engaging the public and addressing other contributors like sewage treatment plant discharges and water softeners, we can work towards a safer and cleaner water supply for all.
[1] Enrichment Data: Potential solutions and alternatives to reduce road salt use include reducing road salt usage, implementing efficient salt application, water treatment options, and collaborative governance and research. Other strategies involve public awareness and education and environmental pollution reduction.
[2] Enrichment Data: Solutions like reducing road salt usage might involve persuading road crews to use alternatives to rock salt or implement sensors on plows to gauge road surface temperatures. Efficient salt application can be achieved by implementing smart application practices like shutting off salt applicators during plow maneuvers that distribute excess salt. Water treatment options include reverse osmosis systems and mixing water sources, although these methods may not be practical for all communities dependent on the Croton system. Collaborative governance and research initiatives can include encouraging state agencies and local governments to coordinate efforts to address the issue comprehensively and sponsoring research initiatives to understand and mitigate the effects of road salt on water sources.
- City officials, such as Rohit Aggarwala, are advocating for reduced road salt usage to prevent the salinization of New York City's water supply, as they fear that if no action is taken, the Croton Water System could become unusable by 2100.
- State Sen. Pete Harckham is supporting bills that aim to tackle the road salt issue, including studying its impact on the Croton watershed, as part of a collaborative effort among state agencies, local governments, and researchers.
- Shannon Roback, from environmental group Riverkeeper, has highlighted that high salt levels in drinking water pose health risks for individuals on low-sodium diets and are a national problem in snowy areas, with rising salt levels observed in water sources in the Northeast, Midwest, and other areas that use road salt.
