Rockland Desalination Proposal to be Discussed at Community Forum on January 29
When: Tuesday, January 29, 2013
When: 7pm
Where: Nanuet Public Library; 149 Church Street; Nanuet, NY
Severe damage from Hurricane Sandy has added new concerns for Rockland residents in regard to United Water’s proposed desalination plant for Rockland County’s drinking water. If the desalination plant had been built earlier, sited on the Hudson River, would it have been rendered inoperable during Hurricane Sandy? Would future storms jeopardize Rockland’s water supply or leave residents with skyrocketing bills to pay for damage, on top of massive construction costs? On Tuesday, January 29, at 7 p.m., Rockland Sierra Club and the Rockland Water Coalition will host a free Community Conversation on Rockland’s Drinking Water in Nanuet Public Library to answer these and other questions about United Water’s proposal. Speakers from the Rockland Water Coalition will update Rockland residents on the damage to the pilot desalination plant from the storm and the status of United Water's proposal. They will also answer questions from the public about health concerns, steep increases in water rates, and impacts on irreplaceable river habitat.
With community leaders calling for steps to make our community more climate resilient, many residents question whether a desalination plant sited on the Hudson would not make Rockland more vulnerable to future storm surges. In addition, critics of the plant question the wisdom of turning to an energy-intensive plant, which will add to our carbon footprint.
The Rockland Water Coalition also questions the economic viability of this plant, which would lock Rockland residents into escalating energy costs, in addition to the burden of substantial increases in county taxes.
The Rockland Water Coalition includes 27 local and regional environmental and civic groups that have all come together to oppose the desalination proposal. The Coalition has proposed a range of sustainable and less expensive alternatives to desalination, including conservation and efficiency, a stepped up program of repair of leaks, and possible wastewater reuse.
Information about the event can be found at www.sustainablerockland.org
More info: George Potanovic, (845) 429-2020 or RocklandWater@gmail.com
