BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – January 29, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Mayor Richard C. David today toured the City of Binghamton’s water treatment facility and outlined the many steps taken to ensure high-quality drinking water for Binghamton residents, amid the ongoing Flint, Mich. water crisis.
“Because the City has made both water quality and water infrastructure upgrades top priorities, residents can continue to enjoy the highest-quality of drinking water,” said Mayor David. “As we’re seeing in Michigan, access to clean water is a critical public health issue and a fundamental duty of local governments.”
As drinking water lead contamination in Flint, Mich. has led to state and federal emergency designations citing serious public health concerns, mayors and local leaders from across the U.S. are working to verify their water supplies are free from contaminants.
In Binghamton, water treatment officials Wednesday provided an inside look at the advanced testing and quality control measures that go into each drop of City water. Each year, the City produces more than 2 billion gallons of clean drinking water with an average of five to six million gallons per day.
The City’s main source of water is the Susquehanna River at an intake point near the 25 Broome St. water treatment facility. From that point, raw river water is purified and treated to remove contaminants and minimize the corrosive nature of the water. Corrosive water can leach lead and other contaminants from underground metal pipes leading to increased lead levels in drinking water.
On site technicians are able to monitor chemical levels on a minute-by-minute basis, all inside a New York State certified water treatment laboratory.
“We thoroughly test our water and take great pride in our work,” said Joe Yannuzzi, the City’s Water / Sewer Superintendent. “Our rigorous laboratory standards, 24/7 monitoring and state-of-the-art treatment processes mean that Binghamton’s water supply meets the highest standards of quality.”
To facilitate transparency and in accordance with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, the City has published nine-years of annual drinking water quality reports on its website.
In Nov. 2015, the City of Binghamton received a Water Fluoridation Quality Award from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recognizing the City’s public water system for managing a consistent and optimal level of fluoride in its water supply.
“In addition to regular testing at Binghamton’s water treatment facility, upgrades to the City’s water infrastructure has ensured we have a solid foundation to provide clean water to residents for decades to come,” said Mayor David.
