Local News for Friday, March 17, 2023

New Rehab Facility To Open in Tompkins County

The Alcohol & Drug Council of Tompkins County will open a new rehab in Lansing next month. The new facility will provide residential and out-patient services including medically assisted treatments. The Ithaca Times reports that walk-in services like showers and crisis care will also be available. Partner organizations include the Advocacy Center and Ithaca Neighborhood Housing. A date for the opening has not been announced.

Solving Staffing Issues at Ithaca Water Treatment Plant May Take Years 

The Ithaca Wastewater Treatment Facility is still struggling to fill key positions. The Ithaca Voice reports that it may be years before a solution can be put in place. A consulting firm told a special oversight commission that  salaries for some of the positions at the plant are $25-$50,000 lower than competitive industry wages. The firm currently staffs the Chief Operating Officer post and other administrative positions. A working group headed by Ithaca Alderperson Cynthia Brock is looking into possible long-term solutions but so far hasn’t come to any conclusions.

EPA Says No Amount of PFAS Is Safe In Drinking Water

The EPA is recommending new regulations that lower the amount of PFAS allowed in drinking water. The agency says no amount of the so-called “forever” chemicals is safe. PFAS chemicals were widely used in firefighting foam for decades and are still used in a wide variety of consumer products like water or oil resistant packaging and fabrics. They have been linked to various types of cancer and are the cause of drinking water contamination in a number of municipalities including some in New York State. The Albany Times Union  reports that the EPA is recommending the legal level be lowered to 4 parts per trillion—the lowest level that can be detected. New York’s current limit is 10 parts per trillion and the current federal level is 70 parts per trillion. As WRFI reported Wednesday, a 2020 report by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation has been made public that found that fish in Seneca Lake contain high levels of PFAS chemicals.