1. N
ot long ago, Randy
Alstadt visited Italy
and stayed in a
place where water was
available for a limited
stretch of time, Monday
through Friday. People
who wanted to use water
or have a drink during
other times were out of
luck unless they had the
foresight to pre-fill con-
tainers.
That scenario is practi-
cally unimaginable here.
“We have quite a water
supply in this country,”
said Alstadt, water plant
administrator for the
Poughkeepsies’ Water
Treatment Facility that
serves the City and Town
of Poughkeepsie plus
Greenbush and Arbors in
Hyde Park, IBM and a
Water safety is a concern for many local residents. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SPENCER AINSLEY
Guidelines
aim to protect
residents
By Karen Maserjian Shan
For the Poughkeepsie Journal
See WATER, Page 2G
ON THE WEB
Read the Journal’s past
coverage of local
water issues at
www.poughkeepsie
journal.com/water
HOW SAFE IS YOUR
WATER?
ABOUT THIS
SECTION
This is a special drinking-
water-themed section of My
Valley, designed to help
readers understand the many
facets that go into keeping
drinking water safe in your
home. Your feedback on the
section is welcome.
— Dugan Radwin, My Valley
editor
G
DUGAN RADWIN, Section Editor » 845-437-4841 » dradwin@poughkeepsiejournal.com » www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/myvalley
SUNDAY, December 1, 2013
BUSINESS
INSIDE
Page 6G
Inside
BOTTLED VS. TAP WATER, 3G
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, 4G
CREATE RAIN GARDEN, 4G
WE ALL LIVE IN A WATERSHED, 5G
A MY VALLEY SPECIAL REPORT:
DRINKING WATER SAFETY
Don’t miss the Journal’s free water-quality forum from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday
at the boathouse at Marist College. See John Ferro’s column at left for details.
NOTE TO READERS
Regular My Valley fixtures will return
next week.
COMING NEXT
WEEK ONLINE
Visit www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/
myvalley for the latest in environ-
mental news and this story:
Tuesday: Earth Wise looks at mis-
leading natural-food labels and what
is being done to clarify how natural
products really are.
I’vealwaysbelievedthatpeopleare
like water in one very important way.
We typically travel the path of least
resistance.
And when it comes to protecting
our drinking water, rarely is the path
of least resistance the way to go.
Take, for instance, the path water
travels in my home before it gets to a
glass.
My water comes from a private
well.
Its first stop is a water softener.
Next, it passes through a sterilizing
system that uses an ultraviolet light
bulb to zap bacteria.
Finally, it percolates through a re-
verse-osmosis filtration system be-
fore emerging into a glass or cooking
pot.
(If water had personality, mine
would be like a family member who’d
just arrived for Thanksgiving after a
bumpy cab ride to the airport, a full-
body scan and a long flight through a
snowstorm.)
Public water supplies use even
more involved systems to treat water
before it gets to your home. Some
work better than others.
All of these systems are complex.
So are the natural dynamics that af-
fect our water.
The regulations that govern public
water supplies can be difficult to un-
derstand if you’re not an engineer or a
chemist.
But information is ammunition.
That is why the Poughkeepsie Journal
is hosting a free forum from 5:30-7:30
p.m. on Tuesday at the boathouse at
Marist College.
AnitaThompkins,thelocalregional
chief of the Environmental Protection
Agency’s Water and Municipal Drink-
ing Water Branch, will be there.
So will Russell Urban-Mead, a hy-
drogeologist from Chazen Cos., and a
representative from the Dutchess
JOHN
FERRO
OUT THERE
Learn about
water quality
at forum
See FERRO, Page 2G
I am so anti-conspiracy theory that
when most people were solemnly ob-
serving the 50th anniversary of JFK’s
death, I was cynically bemoaning the
50th anniversary of the conspiracy the-
ory.FromArea51to9/11to,heartbreak-
ingly, Sandy Hook, the wild-eyed and
breathless exhortations of conspiracy
theorists have driven me nuts for
years. And I thought I had heard them
all over the years but I was wrong: the
newest conspiracy theory to me — even
though it’s been around for a long time —
is about fluoride in the public drinking
water.
The theory was put forth by a col-
league who couldn’t believe I was in fa-
vor of poisoning our child with fluoridat-
ed drinking water. Didn’t I know that wa-
ter fluoridation was used by the Nazis to
mind-control the masses? Taking um-
brage with the notion that I would harm
our child, I began to look into the hyste-
ria behind the conspiracy theory. What I
found was a compelling case for giving
fluoride and a somewhat compelling
case for compulsory public water fluori-
dation.
The benefit of water fluoridation re-
ducing cavities was discovered by acci-
dent.Adentistinthe1920swasresearch-
ing what stained the teeth of some Colo-
radoansbrownandfoundoutitwasnatu-
rally occurring fluoride in their water.
He also found that they had far fewer
cavities than other people, despite the
cosmetic issue. By the1940s and ’50s, the
movement to fluoridate all public water
sources was on, and despite some sug-
gestions that it was a communist plot to
take over the minds of Americans, the
practice took hold and currently 70 per-
cent of the public water supply in the
United States is fluoridated.
Thomas Cingel is a dentist in Kings-
Fluoride in water really is a good thing
JIMMY
BUFF
THE GREEN LIFE
See BUFF, Page 3G
845-229-9418
RAINBOW OIL
WINTER
CONTRACT
GREAT PRICES
PK-0000166002
like us on

2. 2G Sunday, December 1, 2013 POUGHKEEPSIE JOURNAL
Historical Weather
Temperature
(F)
High
8/14/2002
103.5°
Low
1/27/1994
-26.8°
Average 49.4°
Precipitation
(in)
Average Yearly 45.21
Yearly Low
2001
31.39
Yearly High
2011
64.69
Ozone
(ppb)
High
7/7/1988
177
UV
(mW/m2)
High
6/14/2005
306
CO2
(ppm)
Average 402
Precipitation
pH
Volume-Weighted Mean 4.34
For current weather data, visit:
caryinstitute.org/emp_sum_daily.html
Data provided by:
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
(Ozone data from NYDEC.)
www.caryinstitute.org
A MY VALLEY SPECIAL REPORT: DRINKING WATER SAFETY
County Health Depart-
ment.
There has been much
to be concerned about.
Last year, the Journal
reported on road salt that
had contaminated the pri-
vate wells of a dozen
homes in the Town of East
Fishkill.
As a result of our re-
porting, the state Depart-
ment of Transportation
has been meeting with af-
fected homeowners to
discuss drilling new
wells.
In March, water in a
district in Hyde Park and
another in the Town of
East Fishkill turned up
with high levels of disin-
fection byproducts.
These chemical com-
pounds are byproducts of
the disinfection process
at the Poughkeepsies’ wa-
tertreatmentplant,which
draws its water from the
Hudson River.
In May, the Journal re-
ported that the private
owners of a water supply
system in the Town of
Beekman had failed for
years to notify its custom-
ers of high levels of radi-
um in the water. Cedar
Meadows Water Corp.,
which supplies the Cameo
Farms development in
Poughquag, is once again
in violation of regulations
for radium.
In July, City of Pough-
keepsie residents were
told to boil their drinking
water for five days after
E. coli bacteria turned up
in the supply.
And during all of this,
the folks in the Hopewell
Precision Superfund site
have continued to wait for
a solution to the chemical
contamination of their
wells that has lingered for
more than a decade. Lat-
er this month, the EPA
will hold its first public
meeting there in four
years.
Our regulations and
our agencies serve to
safeguard our water.
But the ultimate re-
sponsibility for being
aware of the facts falls
on us.
Thatincludesreading
the annual water quality
reports you receive ev-
ery year if your water
comes from a communi-
ty water system.
So, join us on Tuesday
night and take some
steps down the path of
meaningful enlighten-
ment.
“Out There” appears
every other week in My
Valley. Reach John
Ferro at 845-437-4816;
jferro@poughkeepsie
journal.com; Twitter:
@PoJoEnviro
Ferro
Continued from Page 1G
RESOURCES
Where does your
drinking water
come from? How
do you know if
your drinking water
is safe? How can
you protect it?
What can you do if
there’s a problem
with your drinking
water? To help
answer these —
and other — ques-
tions, the U.S.
Environmental
Protection Agency
prepared “Water
on Tap: What You
Need To Know.”
To order a copy of
this publication,
contact the Nation-
al Service Center for
Environmental
Publications at
800-490-9198.
Source: EPA
small subdivision in the
Town of Fishkill.
In this country, the En-
vironmental Protection
Agency administers stan-
dards for drinking water,
including the presence of
more than 90 water con-
taminants, most notably
through the 1974 Safe
DrinkingWaterAct.Local
health departments with-
in each state are responsi-
ble for regulation en-
forcement, including in-
termittent testing of local
water to ensure its safety
against biologic, human
and other contamination.
Private wells, however,
are not regulated by the
EPA; homeowners must
see that they’re properly
maintained, including
that the water is safe to
drink and use.
Data collected for a
2009 Dutchess County re-
port on well testing
showed an estimate of
more than 30,600 private
wells in the county. More
than 700 public water sys-
tems,includingmorethan
1,800 wells serving more
than 60 percent of the
county’s population, were
identified.
“Poughkeepsies’ Wa-
ter Treatment Facility
provides water that com-
plies with all drinking wa-
ter standards and is safe
to drink,” said Alstadt,
with the water coming
from the Hudson River.
That wasn’t always the
case. In the1870s, unclean
waterintheregioncaused
deaths from typhoid. The
problem led to Pough-
keepsie’s development of
the country’s first water
filtration system in 1872.
In 1908, chlorine was first
addedtodrinkingwaterto
rid it of pathogens.
Some people use car-
bon filtration systems to
remove chlorine and
some organics from their
water, per their taste or
other preference, while
others use softeners to
lower their water’s hard-
ness or mineral level, a
common condition of this
area’s well water, Alstadt
said.
All filtration systems
should be maintained to
avoid potential problems,
he said.
Recent concerns about
the water supply for
Greenbush and Violet Av-
enue in Hyde Park arose
when elevated levels of
disinfectionbyproducts,a
potential health hazard
associated with cancer
and birth defects, were
detected. Disinfection by-
products result when nat-
urally present organics
and minerals in water
break down and interact
with disinfectant chemi-
cal additives, most nota-
bly, chlorine.
Alstadt said an up-
grade of the treatment
plant is in the works to
lower the DBP levels and
eliminate the concern,
with completion sched-
uled for March 2016.
An Oct. 31 letter to
Greenbush and Violet Av-
enue customers from
TownofHydeParkSuper-
visor Aileen Rohr ad-
dressed the concern by
naming the resulting wa-
ter advisory, including
contaminant specifics.
“Although these re-
sults are improved over
lastquarter,Ibelievethey
should be better,” said
Rohr in the letter. “The
town has flushed (the sys-
tem) on an increased
schedule to reduce the
levels and ‘freshen the
water’ that is provided to
you.”
Rohr also requested
thattheJointWaterBoard
of Poughkeepsie take
measures to improve the
quality of the water in the
region and provide some
monetary relief to those
served by it.
“The Poughkeepsie
Joint Water Board is mov-
ing ahead in their process
of implementing a plan to
change the disinfection
process at the treatment
plant,” she said. “It is ex-
pected that full imple-
mentation of this new dis-
infection process may
take several years to com-
plete.”
Salt in drinking water
is a concern in this area
during droughts, when
salt fronts develop along
the Hudson, increasing
sodium in the water sup-
ply. Notifications are sent
out in those situations,
which typically are short
term, Alstadt said, as peo-
ple on restricted sodium
diets should avoid drink-
ing the water until the so-
dium levels decrease.
Carolyn A. Klocker,
senior water resource
educator with Cornell Co-
operative Extension
Dutchess County in Mill-
brook, said the quality of
drinking water relates to
the land.
“I think one of the best
ways people can protect
the safety of an area’s
drinking water is to un-
derstand the concept that
the quality of our water,
whether it is ground wa-
ter or surface water, is di-
rectly related to our
land,” she said.
To that end, Dutchess
Watersheds reports that a
large portion of water pol-
lutants come from vari-
ous land-use sources and
are carried through the
soil by rainwater and
snowmelt into water-
ways, including those that
supply drinking water.
Such non-point source
pollutants include sedi-
ments, nutrients, pesti-
cides and fertilizers,
pathogens, salt, oil, phar-
maceuticals and trash.
Klocker also pointed to
findings by the New York
State Water Resources In-
stitute on climate change
and its potential effect on
our water supply. Here, a
possible increase in
drought periods could
stress water supplies,
leaving shallow wells and
systems with small aqui-
fers and small reservoirs
most vulnerable.
While the Cornell Co-
operative Extension
Dutchess County reports
that in the U.S. serious
health and safety prob-
lems are uncommon for
both tap and bottled wa-
ter, sales of bottled water
have increased in past
years,despiteconcernsof
the economic and envi-
ronmental costs of bottle
manufacturing, water re-
trieval and bottling, plus
product transportation,
advertisement, recycling
and/or disposal.
Alstadt said in this
area, bottled water is an
unnecessary expense.
The Poughkeepsies’ Wa-
terTreatmentFacilitycan
produce a thousand gal-
lons of water for about $1.
“Water can best be pro-
tected (by) eliminating
contamination,” Alstadt
said. “Chemicals and
drugs need to be disposed
of properly. Stormwater
needs to be eliminated
from wastewater sys-
tems.”
Karen Maserjian Shan is
a freelance writer:
mkshan@optonline.net.
Water
Continued from Page 1G
An exterior view of Poughkeepsies’ Water Treatment Facility. DARRYL BAUTISTA/POUGHKEEPSIE
JOURNAL FILE PHOTO
Well testing information
For information on private well testing, visit the Dutchess
County Department of Health’s website: www.co.dutchess
.ny.us/CountyGov/Departments/Health/HDSafeDrinkingWa
ter.htm
KEEPING DRINKING WATER
CLEAN AND SAFE
For well and septic system owners
» Never store pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals ad-
jacent to your well to avoid direct well contamination.
» Properly abandon old wells and never use them as disposal
pits.
» Ensure your well construction and surface seal is adequate
to minimize chemicals contaminants.
» Regularly test your well water for nitrates, bacteria and
other contaminants.
» Properly maintain your septic system by having the septic
tank pumped out every two to three years.
» Do not pour improper materials down household drains like
garbage disposal food wastes, drain cleaners, household chem-
icals and other toxic-cleaning agents.
At home
» Don’t dump toxic chemicals down the drain or on the
ground. Take weed killers, pesticides, thinners, strippers, wood
preservatives and cleaning chemicals to a hazardous waste
collection center.
» Properly dispose of pharmaceuticals and personal care prod-
ucts including out-of-date and other leftover prescription and
non-prescription medications.
» Check under- and above-ground heating oil storage tanks
for leakage, which can increase with tank age.
In your garage/workshop
» Recycle or properly dispose of used motor oil, grease and
parts cleaners and antifreeze.
» Clean leaking fluids from vehicles with kitty litter or sawdust
and properly dispose of contaminated absorbent. Don’t wash
spills with water, since it seeps into the ground or discharges to
storm drains (which typically lead to streams and rivers).
In the yard
» Follow directions for use and disposal of fertilizers and
pesticides; use less toxic alternatives whenever possible.
» Select disease-and pest-resistant plants and learn about
biological controls.
» Test your soil to help determine fertilizer and compost needs
for your lawn and garden to avoid over-fertilization.
Source: www.deq.state.or.us/wq/pubs/factsheets/drinking
water/BasicTips12WQ005.pdfRandy Alstadt, plant administrator at Poughkeepsies’
Water Treatment Facility, stands in the pipe gallery to
show where hypochlorite enters the water system, labeled
in the photo as the “chemical injection point.” The water
treatment facility is adjacent to the Marist College campus
in Poughkeepsie. SPENCER AINSLEY/POUGHKEEPSIE JOURNAL FILE
PHOTO
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3. POUGHKEEPSIE JOURNAL Sunday, December 1, 2013 3G
A MY VALLEY SPECIAL REPORT: DRINKING WATER SAFETY
Tapped resource: Recent water
scares in Poughkeepsie have driven
people to the bottle — the plastic water
bottle. While times of crisis call for
backup supplies such as bottled water,
making a regular habit of drinking bot-
tled water leads to envi-
ronmental, social and
health problems. Get a
taste of this:
Save some for the for-
ests: Bottled water may
come from nearby, muni-
cipal water sources (the
same place as tap water),
or it may come from far
away. Either way, it is
competing for water with the ecosys-
tems and local municipalities near the
source. Fiji the company has had many
legal disputes with Fiji the country
over water issues. And why are we tak-
ing water from a small tropical island
and using precious fuel to ship it over-
seas?
Clean is as clean does: People tend
to drink bottled water because they
think it’s cleaner than tap water. How-
ever, most bottled water is tap water,
just with different (more or less) treat-
ment. So, bottled water tends to be
about as clean as tap water. Some bot-
tled water brands have even been
found to contain harmful substances.
Why pay extra for the same risk as tap
water?(Unlessyouknowforsurethere
is a particular problem with your local
water source, e.g., it has fracking gases
in it). In 2006, Cleveland was tired of a
Fiji ad campaign against it, so it ran
taste/safety tests comparing its tap wa-
ter to bottled. Tap won in most catego-
ries. (www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/
qbw.asp; http://storyofstuff.org/
movies/story-of-bottled-water).
Unsafe in any plastic: Plastic isn’t
perfect. You’ve probably heard the ab-
breviation “BPA” thrown around, but
have you heard the word “phthalates”
much? Both are byproducts of plastic
bottles (and other plastic food packag-
ing) that can disrupt our hormones (es-
pecially if the water has sat around in
the plastic for a while). The Food and
Drug Administration still says BPA is
safe,butmanyfolksdisagree.TheFDA
doesoutlawphthalatesintapwater,but
strangely not in bottled water (because
of to a successful lobbying campaign
by bottled water companies).
(www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/
qbw.asp).
Big water: Do we want private com-
panies in control of one of our most ba-
sic needs? Big companies such as Coke
(Dasani) and Pepsi (Aquafina) have
their investors’ bottom line more in
mind than your health, your wallet or
your Earth (as the phthalates example
shows). The Story of Bottled Water
(from the Story of Stuff Series) gives
an approachable overview of the pollu-
tion bottle companies are putting in our
waters, bodies and minds. (http://sto-
ryofstuff.org/movies/story-of-bottled-
water).
Learn more, be heard:
ThePoughkeepsieJournalhastaken
it upon itself to get to the bottom of
some recent, local, tap water problems.
The Journal’s recent articles and up-
coming forum on water safety (at the
Marist College boathouse 5:30-7:30
p.m. Tuesday) should do a lot to shed
light on drinking water issues in our
area, specifically Poughkeepsie.
I hope the dangers of bottled water
and the benefits of tap are both high-
lighted at this forum, because we’re
better off with what’s on tap.
(www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/arti-
cle/20131124/NEWS04/311240003/Jour-
nal-host-water-safety-forum-Marist).
Tom O’Dowd is executive adminis-
trator for the Environmental and Ur-
ban Studies Department at Bard Col-
lege. “Green Living” is a regular fea-
ture in My Valley.
Although bottled water companies
portray their products as safer than tap
water, studies have shown that the
opposite is usually true. GETTY IMAGES/
ISTOCKPHOTO
Tap water
usually is
best for you
By Tom O’Dowd
Tom
O’Dowd
ton and someone who has examined our
not-quite-5-year-oldson.Askedaboutthe
benefits of fluoride for people, and kids
in particular, Cingel is unequivocal in his
response. “It makes a difference. It real-
ly does,” he said.
Cingel tells me that he can tell just by
pinging adolescents’ teeth with a dental
tool if they had fluoride as children. And
as a dentist in a city with no fluoride in
the water, Cingel sees a much higher in-
cidence of cavities. Cingel also under-
stands the philosophical differences of
the pro- and con-fluoride story and
thinks it is good to question health
choices. However, he is behind the sci-
ence.
“I’m a pretty informed individual
when it comes to environmental and
health hazards allowed in the United
States versus Europe,” he said, noting
that fluoride, unlike GMOs, has not been
banned in any of those countries.
So the issue of fluoride for our child is
settled: We are in. The real issue for me
has to do with what I consider a valid ar-
gument:peoplebeingmedicatedwithout
their consent. I say medicated because a
prescription is needed to get fluoride for
our son. Cingel acknowledges that as-
pect but also notes that chlorine is added
to the water supply to kill bacteria and
most people think that is fine, even
though a slight increase in bladder and
rectal cancer has been attributed to that
practice.
Locally, the water supply is much
more chlorinated than it is fluoridated,
too. The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention has a map of all the water
supplies in the Untied States, and you
can see which have added fluoride (in
some cases, natural fluoride is in the wa-
ter and that is noted, too). In fact, the
Town of New Paltz, including the vil-
lage, seems to be the only large munici-
pality to put fluoride in the water.
As for fluoride in my city of Kings-
ton, Cingel is once again clear.
“I think it would be a benefit for the
population, hands down,” he said.
Jimmy Buff is an outdoor enthusiast,
program director and morning show
host for Radio Woodstock 100.1 WDST.
Reach him at buff@RadioWoodstock.
com. “The Green Life” is a column
about environmental issues.
Buff
Continued from Page 1G
ON THE WEB
To find out if your water is fluoridat-
ed, go to cdc.gov and search “water
fluoridation map” in the search win-
dow on the homepage.
For more than five decades, the Hud-
sonRiverValleyhasplayedapivotalrole
in American environmental history. But
how well do you know that history?
Here’s a pop quiz.
The 40th anniversary of the nation’s
most important environmental law was
in 2012, which, according to the National
Wildlife Federation, “will continue to en-
sure that America’s waters are fishable,
swimmable, and drinkable.”
1. What is the name of the law?
2. Who was its chief sponsor?
3. During which decade were all of
the following true?
» 19.5 million Americans were made
ill due to bacteria, parasites and viruses
in their drinking water.
» Approximately 36 percent of the na-
tion’s river miles and 42 percent of the
nation’s lake acres were the subject of
health advisories for fish consumption.
» Two-thirds of streams sampled in a
national survey contained five or more
pesticides.
» Hudson River commercial fisher-
men were prohibited from fishing for
American shad and Atlantic sturgeon
due to low fish populations.
» IBM complained of too many chem-
icals in the City of Poughkeepsie water
supply, which originates from the Hud-
son River.
Answers:
1. The 1972 Clean Water Act
2.U.S.Sen.EdmundMuskie,D-Maine
3. The decade in which we now live
It gets worse.
The Clean Water Act is the closest we
have to a national water strategy. It was
created to “restore and maintain the
chemical, physical and biological integ-
rityofthenation’swaters.”ItsetaJuly1,
1983,goalforwaterqualitythatsupports
recreation and the propagation of fish,
shellfish and wildlife. It set a 1985 goal
for elimination of the direct discharge of
pollutants into navigable waters. It
called for the expeditious control of in-
direct, nonpoint discharges, a prohibi-
tion on pollutants in toxic amounts.
Fast forward to 2013. More than
200,000 facilities have legal permits to
discharge pollutants; there has been an 8
percent increase in fish health adviso-
ries in the last two years; and 40 percent
of the nation’s streams are considered
substandard. Yet, the nation’s primary
water goals are still the elimination of
pollution discharges 28 years ago, and
fishable and swimmable waters 30 years
ago.
Any plain-speaking government wa-
ter manager will tell you there are no
state or federal plans for achieving
“chemical, physical and biological integ-
rity.”Currentpollutionprogramscannot
end pollution. Management programs
are not protecting fisheries. Interesting-
ly, EPA administrators have been the
most candid, and their commentaries
are a litany of despair:
April 20, 1984: “Almost 40 percent of
our nation’s rivers, lakes, and streams
are polluted. Many more are threatened
with pollution. This poses a threat to all
Americans, all people, all of life itself.” –
Carol Browner, EPA administrator for
President Bill Clinton
March 27, 2001: “Almost 40 percent
of the nation’s waters assessed by states
still do not meet water quality goals es-
tablished by states under the Clean Wa-
ter Act.” — Christine Todd Whitman,
EPA administrator for President George
W. Bush
Jan. 12, 2010: “America’s waterbo-
dies are imperiled as never before.” —
LisaJackson,firstEPAadministratorfor
President Barack Obama
Sept. 9, 2013: “Progress in advancing
clean water and safe drinking water
goals in the U.S. is stalled.” — current
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy
Long before the enactment of the
Clean Water Act, Hudson River activists
found a way to save the river. In the ab-
sence of effective laws, we found a way
to save the river. We must take the lead
again. This time it will require a differ-
ent, 21st-century brand of environmen-
talismandentrepreneurshipwithaglob-
al mission.
New York state should be a center for
water innovation. Building upon the
Mighty Waters initiative launched by
Congressman Paul Tonko, the Hudson-
Mohawk watershed should be a labora-
tory. Gov. Andrew Cuomo should ap-
point a blue-ribbon team of our best en-
gineering, business, legal and scientif-
ic minds.
A first task should be new policy
goals unique to the Hudson-Mohawk
River system that carry the authority
of state and federal law and make those
rivers the first in the nation to achieve
zero discharge of pollutants, control of
nonpoint discharges, and attainment of
fishable, swimmable waters. But new
rules alone cannot do the job.
The exciting policy and technical in-
novations necessary to realize this
global center will build a new segment
of the state’s economy through 21st-
century industries. Examples include
technological advances for achieving
zero discharge of pollutants, early
warning systems based on real-time
monitoring and streaming analytics
that protect human and ecological
health, engineering innovations in in-
frastructure and management, and
creative finance systems to support
restoration and innovation of local wa-
ter infrastructure. The entire planet is
in the throes of a water crisis. A busi-
nessplanshouldpositionNewYorkasa
water leader in the global marketplace.
Inadditiontoourcollegesanduniversi-
ties, we have a head start with some of
our resident corporations, such as IBM
and General Electric, who are already
deeply invested in water innovation.
America’s and the region’s waters
“are imperiled as never before.” Our
federal water laws are “stalled.” It is
time for the bold, homegrown innova-
tion that was once an example to an en-
vironmentally beleaguered America.
It is time for a new generation of lead-
ership that speaks to 21st-century envi-
ronmental needs and human possibili-
ty. It is again time for the Hudson.
John Cronin, Beacon Institute fellow
at Clarkson University, is known inter-
nationally for a career of nearly four
decades dedicated to water and envi-
ronmental affairs.
John Cronin is a Beacon Institute fellow at Clarkson University. He is best known for 17 years as a Hudson Riverkeeper, inspiring more
than 200 Waterkeeper programs throughout the world. Time magazine named him a “Hero for the Planet.” PHOTO COURTESY OF LISA BERG
Time for river to lead effortBy John Cronin

4. 4G Sunday, December 1, 2013 POUGHKEEPSIE JOURNAL
A MY VALLEY SPECIAL REPORT: DRINKING WATER SAFETY
The threats to water safety come
from many sources. When a sustainabil-
ity planner is thinking about how to en-
sure the integrity of the potable water
supply,itbehoovesonetofocusonhowto
prevent and control the sources of con-
tamination and pollution.
One way to do this is to follow New
YorkCity’sexampleandletthenaturally
functioning watershed do this for us, as
has been the case since New York City’s
purchase of approximately 6 million
acres of the Ashokan watershed in the
early 1900s. Many municipalities may
not have the means, the foresight or the
access to take such a step. For these
towns and cities, probably the majority
today, it is necessary to identify, prevent
and contain the sources of the problem.
Fortunately, advances in green infra-
structure are now enabling property
owners and managers to treat more is-
sueson-siteratherthanexpensivelypipe
wastewater to treatment plants. Many of
ourtreatmentplantsareaging,atornear
capacity while our municipal budgets
are strained. Alternative approaches
that extend the life of our necessary
“gray” infrastructure (pipes, mechani-
cal plants and concrete containment
areas) are sorely needed.
Green or “living” infrastructure uses
plants and the soil’s capacity to filter wa-
terasanalternativetomechanicalwater
purification. One goal of green infra-
structure is to keep as much storm and
rainwater on-site as possible, instead of
letting it flow into already overloaded
sewer systems during large storms.
Plantedroofs,raingardens,bioswales
and infiltration basins all hold stormwa-
ter on-site so it can filter through plant
rootsystemsandsoillayers.Thisnatural
infiltration removes pollutants that are
washed off pervious surfaces and would
otherwise flow from the sidewalks to the
sewer systems to the neighboring water-
ways in the case of a combined sewer
systemoverflow.Thesecombinedsewer
system overflows occur with disturbing
regularity, especially in our older cities
that have older sewer systems. The sew-
ers simply cannot handle all of the flows
in a major storm system, and the pollu-
tion and sewage that should have been
treated at the water treatment plant gets
deposited raw into the natural stream
and river systems. The more extensive
applicationofgreeninfrastructureinur-
ban and suburban neighborhoods could
greatly reduce this threat to the health
and potability of water supplies.
Another reason to contain water on-
site is to reduce flooding. Flooding, aside
from causing property damage, carries
pollutantswhereveritgoes.Weseesome
green infrastructure techniques being
put into use by the New York State De-
partment of Transportation along Inter-
state 84. In the median swales, you can
see the white rock check dams that have
been constructed over the past year to
slow the flow of water down the grades.
This will help the medians to hold more
wateralongtheentirelengthofthegrade
sothatitcanseepbackintothegroundin
amajorstormevent.Thisisanimportant
initiative considering all the marsh habi-
tats with their sensitive wildlife diversi-
ty, not to mention the communities that
are literally down the grade from the
highway.
Another wonderful new tool to help
with on-site infiltration and its attendant
benefits is permeable paving, which can
beusedforparkinglotsandwalkways.It
has been successfully used at the New
York State Parks Headquarters site in
Staatsburg and at the Lamont-Doherty
Earth Observatory of Columbia Univer-
sity, among other sites. It requires less
maintenance than conventional asphalt,
decreases black ice and absorbs runoff
even in freezing conditions.
Maintaining tree and plant cover is
another key approach in the successful
application of living infrastructure. In
cities, street trees transform air pollut-
ants into benign elements as well as ab-
sorbing stormwater and filtering street-
level pollutants in their root layers.
Much progress has been made in the last
decade in creating purpose-made soil
containers that provide street trees with
enoughspace,soilstructureandaeration
to support tree vitality.
The orgy of land-clearing that is still
occurring in our cities, towns and sub-
urbs is a scourge on water safety. When-
everaplotoflandisscrapedbarrenofall
the trees, native plants, wildlife habitat
and understory that it supported, water
effects abound. With no canopy to buffer
storms, no plants to slurp up water for
evapotranspiration, no soil structure re-
maining to filter downpours back into
the aquifer below, the water runs off in
sheets and contaminates neighboring
properties and water bodies.
The best way to mitigate this ongoing
disasteristothinkaboutwhatabsolutely
hastobeclearedandleavetherestalone.
Protect small ponds, marshes and natu-
ral retention basins. The next best way is
to replant, as soon as possible, with as
many native plants and trees as possible.
Anothermitigationstrategyistoremedi-
atethedestructionofhabitatandnatural
water retention and purification sys-
tems by creating a partial replacement
of habitat with living roofs and walls.
These will also help contain runoff and
pollutionfromrainwaterthatfallsonthe
new impermeable roof surfaces.
Living water is that which we can use
to drink, to cook with, to bath in and to
play in. We are, in essence, creatures of
water. Human social concentration and
industry create contaminants that
threaten that essence. Sewage, toxins,
automobile pollutants, agricultural
chemicals and particulate sediments do
not belong in our community water sup-
plies, or in wild waters, for that matter.
Some behaviors, such as the willful
dumping of toxins into our rivers and
lakes, require enforcement controls.
Otherbehaviorsthataffectwater’sin-
tegrity, though, can be ameliorated with
morethoughtfulandcompassionateland
development, through the use of living
infrastructure techniques, and with
smart-growth planning that treats natu-
ral systems as the partners in health and
well-being, rather than obstacles to be
overcome and discarded.
“EnviroMuse” is a conservation column
in My Valley. Reach Gail Beverly at
GBeverly@FiddleheadCrosierAdvi-
sors.com.
Planted roofs — like this one above the garage at Kaplan Hall at SUNY Orange in Newburgh— are one way to filter stormwater to help keep pollutants out of drinking water. COURTESY
PHOTO
Ways we can maintain water’s integrity
GAIL BEVERLY
ENVIROMUSE
Permeable
pavement like
that at the
New York State
Parks
Headquarters
site in
Staatsburg,
above, absorbs
runoff to
reduce
drinking water
pollution.
COURTESY PHOTO
Stormwater runoff,
which occurs when melt-
ed snow or rain flows over
paved surfaces into sew-
ers, poses a
threat to hu-
mans, ani-
mals and
plants. As it
travels, the
stormwater
picks up de-
bris, chemi-
cals and
dirt. This
dirty water enters the
storm sewage system and
is discharged untreated
into the water bodies we
useforswimming,fishing
and drinking. Pollutants
carried by stormwater
can include sediment,
which clouds the water
and makes it difficult for
underwater plants to
grow; excess nutrients,
which can cause algae
outbreaks that remove
oxygen from water; bac-
teria,whichcreatehuman
health problems and
make beach closings nec-
essary; and chemicals
such as solvents, insecti-
cides, pesticides, etc.,
which can poison marine
life.
Homeowners can
make landscaping
choices that will help
combat stormwater run-
off. Rain barrels, for ex-
ample, collect water that
might have flowed from
roof gutters down the
driveway. The captured
water can be used for the
lawn and garden as need-
ed.
Rain gardens are de-
signed areas that provide
a natural place for rain-
water to collect and soak
into the ground. They re-
quire more planning than
abarrel,butprovideanat-
tractive and effective
way to reduce stormwa-
ter runoff. And, once the
plants are established,
they can usually be easily
maintained.
Just as you would plan
your vegetable or flower
garden, the first step to
designing a rain garden is
deciding on the size and
location of the garden. Sit-
uated closer to the house,
the garden will treat only
roof runoff. If you place it
farther out in the lawn, it
will be able to catch water
from the lawn and roof.
Residential rain gardens
typically range from 100
to 300 square feet, de-
pending on the homeown-
er’s vision and budget.
When contemplating the
size of your garden, con-
sider how deep it will be,
what types of soils will be
planted in it and how
much water will be drain-
ing into it.
Once you’ve deter-
mined size and place-
ment, it’s time to roll up
your sleeves and dig the
rain garden. Depending
on the size of your garden,
andthenumberofhelping
hands, this step can take a
few hours, or a few days.
The best time to start,
however, is in the spring
when the ground is a little
softer and your plants
more likely to survive. As
you dig out your garden,
remember that you will
need a berm, or wall,
across the downhill edge
to keep the water within
it.
As you choose plants
for your rain garden, re-
memberthatalthoughitis
an extremely functional
way to protect water qual-
ity,itwillalsobeanattrac-
tive highlight for your
yard. Use plants with dif-
ferent bloom times, color
andtexturetocreatevisu-
al interest during differ-
ent flowering seasons.
Mix heights, shapes and
textures to keep the gar-
den attractive when few
flowers are in bloom.
There are a large num-
ber of manuals available
online that will guide you
through the designing,
building and planting
stages. The New York
State Stormwater Design
Manual includes a de-
scription and guidelines
for rain gardens and can
be accessed through the
NYS Department of Con-
servation website at
www.dec.ny.gov/chemi-
cal/29072.html.
So curl up with a few
design manuals and plant
lists this winter, and plan
an environmentally bene-
ficial rain garden. You’ll
be protecting your local
water, providing habitat
for birds and butterflies,
and enhancing the beauty
of your yard.
Kathy Hamel is the mem-
bership and public policy
coordinator for Hudson
Highlands Land Trust.
Rain gardens catch runoff, help keep water clean
By Kathy Hamel
Kathy
Hamel
A rain garden at Vassar College. PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILY VAIL

5. Colonial kids after-school
program — Hudson Highlands
Nature Museum, Outdoor
Discovery Center, 174 Angola
Road, Cornwall. 3:45-5 p.m.
Mondays to Dec. 16. For chil-
dren in kindergarten through
second grade, who will take a
step back in-time to the early
settlements. Cost is $90 or $75
for members. Space is limited.
For more information and
online registration go to hhna-
turemuseum.org or call 845-
534-5506, Ext. 204.
Post-Thanksgiving “Open
Days” — Hudson Highlands
Nature Museum, Wildlife Edu-
cation Center, 25 Blvd., Corn-
wall. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 1.
Come to the Hudson Highlands
Nature Museum for a special
celebration of the museum’s
live animals. Learn turkey facts;
“Meet the Animals” programs
scheduled for 1 p.m. and 2:30
p.m. Crafts for kids available.
Holiday Sponsor-an-Animal
packages will be available for
purchase. Admission: $3 per
person. Museum members and
children under 3 are free. For
more information, visit hhnatu-
remuseum.org or call 845-534-
5506, Ext. 204.
Animal tracking adventure
— Esopus Bend Nature Preserve,
Shady Lane, Saugerties. 1:30
p.m. Dec. 1. One in a series of
Animal Tracking Adventures at
Esopus Bend Nature Preserve,
sponsored by the Esopus Creek
Conservancy and the John
Burroughs Natural History
Society. Learn how to identify
animal tracks and to observe
clues to what the animal may
have been doing at the time
the tracks were made. In the
absence of snow cover, the
group will search for animal
tracks along stream beds. Meet
1:30 p.m. at the Shady Lane
entrance to the preserve. There
is limited parking at the pre-
serve entrance. For those who
wish to carpool, parking is
available at the Saugerties Plaza
on Route 9W just south of the
Village of Saugerties. Contact
the field trip leader, Greg
Perantoni at greg.peranto-
ni@yahoo.com for additional
information and/or directions.
Preregistration is not required.
For information about up-
coming walks, visit www.esopu-
screekconservancy.org
Singles and Sociables Outing
at Hamilton Point — Minne-
waska State Park Preserve,
Route 44/55, Gardiner. 10 a.m.
to 3 p.m. Dec. 1. No reservations
required. Meet at the Wildmere
(upper) Lot. New hikers are
strongly encouraged to contact
leader Bill Jasyn at 845-255-
7805 for information on hike
levels, what to bring, and other
information. Hike leaders
determine whether or not to
allow pets. The Minnewaska
State Park Preserve $8 per
vehicle fee applies. www.mo-
honkpreserve.org
Hike Romantic Paradise Rock
— Harriman State Park. A
10-mile difficult hike with the
mid-Hudson chapter of the
Adirondack Mountain Club.
Dec. 1. Long Trail and other
Central Harriman trails. Meet at
Elk Pen parking area after the
Short Line bus arrives at the
park entrance at 9:26 a.m.
Contact leader Barry Skura at
914-779-0936 or Barry.Sku-
ra@gmail.com
Seek Birds at Norrie Point —
Norrie State Park, Old Post
Road, Staatsburg. 9 a.m. Dec. 4.
A Waterman Bird Club outing.
Meet at museum parking lot.
Call Adrienne at 845-264-2015.
Web: www.watermanbird-
club.org
Hudson Valley Before Henry
Found It — Tivoli Free Library,
Watts DePeyster Hall, Tivoli.
7:30-8:30 p.m. Join DEC Hudson
River Estuary Program naturalist
Tom Lake to explore the Hud-
son Valley as a wilderness.
845-889-4745, Ext.109.
www.dec.ny.gov/
lands/4915.html
Homeschoolers: Nature
Collages — Minnewaska State
Park Preserve, Route 44/55,
Gardiner. 1–3 p.m. Dec. 5. Come
join other homeschoolers at
Minnewaska to make art, using
materials from the natural
world. Look at examples of
collage and explore a few
techniques. Search nearby trails
to gather items to use, then
return to the Nature Center and
create collages. This program is
recommended for children 7-12,
accompanied by a parent or
guardian over 18. Well-behaved
younger siblings are always
welcome. Parking is $8 per car.
Preregistration is required; call
845-255-0752.
Author reading and presen-
tation — Cary Institute of
Ecosystem Studies, 2801 Sharon
Turnpike (Route 44), Millbrook.
7 p.m. Dec. 6 Noted non-fiction
writer Verlyn Klinkenborg will
read from his book “More
Scenes from the Rural Life.”
Free, open to the public. For
more information, call 845-677-
7600, Ext. 121, or email free-
manp@caryinstitute.org.
Singles and Sociables Outing
at Giants Ledge and Panther
Mountain —10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dec. 7. Catskill Mountains. A
strenuous seven-mile hike for
adults. No reservations re-
quired. Meet at the Route 47
trailhead. New hikers are
strongly encouraged to contact
leader John Kenney at 845-436-
6046 prior to the hike for
information. Hike leaders
determine whether or not to
allow pets. Call the hike leader
for the fee.
Tour the Daniel Smiley Re-
search Center — Mohonk
Preserve, Route 44/55, Gardiner.
1:30-3 p.m. Dec. 8. Join Paul
Huth, Mohonk Preserve director
of research emeritus, and take a
journey through the historic
and diverse collections at the
Daniel Smiley Research Center.
Children ages 12 and up are
welcome with an adult. Reser-
vations required. Call 845-255-
0919 for reservations and meet-
ing location. Free. www.mo-
honkpreserve.org
Singles and Sociables Outing
at Blueberry Run — Minne-
waska State Park Preserve,
Route 44/55, Gardiner. 10 a.m.
to 3 p.m. Dec. 8. A moderate-to-
strenuous seven-mile hike for
adults. No reservations re-
quired. Meet at the Awosting
(lower) Lot. New hikers are
strongly encouraged to contact
leader Ellen Berlin 845-594-2105
prior to the hike for informa-
tion on hike levels, what to
bring, and other information.
Hike leaders determine wheth-
er or not to allow pets. Parking
is $8 per car.
Seek birds at Southlands
Farm — Southlands Farm, 5771
Route 9, Rhinebeck. 9 a.m., Dec.
8. A Waterman Bird Club out-
ing. Meet at main parking lot at
office barns. at 845-876-2836 if
you plan to attend.
www.watermanbirdclub.org
Two Views for One Hike —
Minnewaska State Park Pre-
serve, Route 44/55, Gardiner.
1–3:30 Dec. 8. A two-mile hike
to the best scenic vistas in the
Peter’s Kill Area of Minnewaska.
Following along the Bullwheel
hiking trail, our route will reach
the intersection with the High
Peter’s Kill hiking trail. The hike
will follow the trail to reach the
Clove Valley and the Rondout
Valley from rocky cliff edge
perches. Meet at the Peter’s Kill
park office. Parking is $8 pre
car. Preregistration is required;
call 845-255-0752.
Outdoor notes
ON THE WEB
For a complete list of out-
door activities, visit
www.pough
keepsiejournal.com
A MY VALLEY SPECIAL REPORT: DRINKING WATER SAFETY
POUGHKEEPSIE JOURNAL Sunday, December 1, 2013 5G
Freshwaterisessential
to life, and healthy water-
sheds protect freshwater
resources. Simply put, a
watershed is an area of
land that drains into a
body of wa-
ter,suchasa
lake or
stream.
About half
of the rain-
water
makes its
steady jour-
ney down-
ward,
through the
watershed, where it will
slowly recharge ground-
water and flow into lakes,
streams, the Hudson Riv-
er, and beyond.
At the Cary Institute,
our staff has investigated
the ecology of watersheds
for more than 25 years.
Field sites range from the
shorelines of the Hudson
River to the streets of ur-
ban Baltimore. One
threadisconstant:Among
the various projects hu-
man activities have pro-
foundly altered is the way
that watersheds function,
often to the detriment of
freshwater quality and
biological health.
Below are three essen-
tials about watersheds,
with some suggested
methods of reducing your
watershed footprint. We
all have a lot to gain by
treading a little lighter on
nature.
1. What you do in your
watershed affects life
downstream: Because
water flows downhill, ac-
tivities that take place in
our homes, yards and
businesses can influence
the water quality of
groundwater, wetlands,
nearby streams and, ulti-
mately, the Hudson River.
Even seemingly benign
day-to-day activities can
have a big impact. Chem-
icals that are transported
in our fresh waters in-
clude road salt, pesti-
cides,fertilizersandphar-
maceuticals.
Lighten the pollution
load. Go easy on fertiliz-
ers and pesticides and
don’t dump used motor oil
or other unwanted sub-
stances onto the ground
(unless you want to drink
them later). Help prevent
pharmaceutical pollution
by avoiding the urge to
flush unused drugs; opt
for drug take-back pro-
grams instead. This keeps
chemicals out of our
freshwater systems,
where they affect aquatic
wildlife.
2. Development
changes the way water-
sheds receive and deliv-
er water: Human devel-
opmenthascoveredmany
landscapes with what sci-
entists call “impervious
surface.” This term re-
fers to the replacement of
permeable surfaces, such
as fields and forests, with
solid surfaces that do not
absorb water.
Think about roadways,
parking lots and rooftops;
during rain events, these
areas divert water into
fast running channels, in-
creasing flooding. Less
water percolates into
soils, where it can help re-
charge groundwater sup-
plies. Pollutants sitting on
the surface of roadways,
such as motor oil, are
swept into adjacent wet-
lands and water bodies.
And fast moving runoff
causes streams to fill with
excess sediment, leading
to the loss of stream bed
habitat that is critical for
animals such as juvenile
fish, insects and mussels.
Smart building prac-
tices can help maintain
the integrity of water-
sheds. These include not
buildinginsensitiveareas
such as flood plains, mini-
mizing impervious sur-
face, and incorporating
design elements that cap-
ture and retain water.
When water soaks into the
ground, pollutants can be
filtered out and water vol-
ume is tempered, leaving
us less prone to flooding.
Consider capturing
runoff from roofs and
driveways by planting a
sunken rain garden. Here
rain water can permeate
the ground, replenishing
groundwater and mini-
mizing flooding down-
stream. Native wetland
plants are recommended;
when planted properly
rain gardens can serve as
wildlife habitat. Rain bar-
rels can also minimize re-
liance on groundwater for
home landscaping. Opt
for fully enclosed models
that are equipped with
screens to prevent mos-
quitoes from breeding.
(These are available at
most home improvement
and garden centers.)
3. Wetlands are a criti-
cal part of watersheds:
Wetlands provide myriad
important services, from
filtering water pollutants
and trapping sediments to
abating storm water surg-
es. They also serve as
critical breeding habitat
for amphibians, fish and
waterfowl. For far too
long humans have treated
wetlands, such as the New
Jersey Meadowlands, as
dumping grounds. Thank-
fully, the “drain and fill”
mentality of the1950s and
1960s has waned and the
public’s understanding of
wetlands is increasing.
Far from being dank
places that harbor illness,
not only do healthy wet-
lands protect drinking
water supplies, they also
reduce the transmission
of infectious diseases.
This is because these bio-
logically rich sites are
home to an array of in-
sects and animals. Nu-
merous studies led by Ca-
ry Institute researchers
haveshownthatwhenbio-
diversity is high, humans
are less likely to contract
diseasessuchasWestNile
virus and Lyme disease.
If you have a wetland
on your property, enjoy it.
No matter how small, it is
serving an important eco-
logical role in your neigh-
borhood. Keep your lawn
away from its edges (at
least 20 feet is ideal), al-
low native plants to flour-
ish, and reap the rewards
of wildlife visitors.
Lori Quillen is the direc-
tor of communications at
the Cary Institute of Eco-
system Studies in Mill-
brook.
Protecting the watershed protects drinking water
By Lori Quillen
Participants take part in a rain barrel workshop held
during a past Watershed Awareness Month in Dutchess
County. Rain barrels are one of many ways to also
minimize reliance on groundwater for home landscaping,
thereby protecting our drinking water sources. COURTESY
PHOTO
The Fall Kill at Vall-Kill, the Eleanor Roosevelt Estate in
Hyde Park, is one of the many important wetlands in the
watershed. Wetlands provide myriad important services
that ultimately benefit drinking water’s safety, from
filtering water pollutants and trapping sediments to
abating stormwater surges. PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER RUBBO
ON THE WEB
To learn more about how to
dispose of drugs in an envi-
ronmentally responsible
manner, visit the New York
State Department of Environ-
mental Conservation’s web-
site at www.dec.ny.gov/
chemical/45083.html. There
you will find details about
their “Don’t Flush Your
Drugs” campaign, including
information on drop-off
locations.
Lori Quillen
COURTESY
PHOTO