Make Your Voice Heard on the Proposed Hudson River Desalination Plant

United Water New York, the company that supplies most of Rockland County’s drinking water, has proposed building a desalination plant it calls the Haverstraw Water Supply Project. The plant would pump millions of gallons a day of Hudson River water from Haverstraw Bay, treat it, and then sell the drinking water to Rockland County residents.

Riverkeeper is supporting the Rockland Water Coalition‘s efforts to argue for more public comment, and for funding for independent expert analysis of this project. Concerns about the project include:

• Environmental Impacts: Impacts to Haverstraw Bay, a spawning area and nursery important for fish throughout the Hudson River Estuary and the Atlantic Coast. The plant would draw up to 10 million gallons per day of water from Haverstraw Bay, a spawning area and nursery for fish throughout the Hudson River Estuary and the Atlantic Coast. It would discharge up to 92,000 gallons per day of wastewater.
• Cost: Desalination is among the most energy-intensive and costly ways to produce drinking water. The energy demand would also result in increased emissions linked to climate change.
• Health: The proposed plant’s water intakes are 3.5 miles from Entergy’s Indian Point nuclear power plant, which has a long history of proven radioactive leaks.

People have until April 20 to submit written comments on the draft environmental impact statement. Mailed comments must be postmarked by April 20, and email or fax comments must be received at the DEC by 5 p.m. April 20.

Address comments to:

Christopher Hogan
NYS DEC – Division of Environmental Permits
625 Broadway, 4th Floor
Albany, NY 12233-1750
Phone: (518) 402-9167
Fax: (518) 402-9168
E-mail: [email protected]

Rockland Desalination Plant Fact Sheet (PDF)
Sign the Rockland Water Coalition petition