NYC Mayor Eric Adams is cracking down on employees for not telling him earlier that one of his city’s largest public housing complexes, home to 4,000 people, had ARSENIC in its drinking water — and the tenants “became TWO WEEKS.” I haven’t been informed about the problem for a long time”.
- Adams said he wasn’t told about the arsenic-laced water at the Riis Houses in the East Village until the next day, which is against city protocol
- ‘I found out on Friday. We are conducting a review to find out when the DEP was aware of this because there should have been a natural step of notification,” the mayor said
- The Democrat must now deal with high levels of a dangerous chemical in a condominium complex that is home to about 4,000 New Yorkers
- Arsenic in water can cause nausea, vomiting, and dehydration, and long-term exposure can lead to skin problems and even cancer, according to the CDC
- Residents at the Riis homes have been told not to drink tap water, while city workers – including Adams on Monday – delivered free bottled water to residents
New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed frustration at not being told earlier that arsenic had been found in drinking water at a Manhattan public housing complex.
Adams said he wasn’t told about the arsenic-laced water at the Riis Houses in the East Village until the next day – which is against city protocol.
It has also been claimed that the 4,000 tenants who live on the block may not have heard about the problem for two weeks.
The mayor revealed he has now filed an investigation to find out when the Department for Environmental Protection found out about the water problem – as there may have been a communication problem between staff.
Adams showed his concern, admitting there should have been a “natural step of notification” by the department to notify him as soon as possible – which apparently didn’t happen.
The mayor told the New York Daily News, “I found out on Friday. We are conducting a check to find out when the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) was aware of this as there should have been a natural step of notification.’
The Democrat, who has struggled to keep his promise to reduce crime in the city, is now dealing with high levels of a dangerous chemical in a condominium complex home to about 4,000 New Yorkers.
Arsenic in water can cause nausea, vomiting, and dehydration, and long-term exposure can lead to skin problems and even cancer, according to the CDC.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed frustration at not being told earlier that arsenic had been found in drinking water at a Manhattan public housing complex
Adams said he wasn’t told about the arsenic-laced water at the Riis Houses in the East Village until the next day, which is against city protocol
Adams said: “I found out on Friday. We are conducting a check to find out when the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) was aware of this because there should have been a natural step of notification.
The Democrat, who has struggled to keep his promise to reduce crime in the city, is now dealing with high levels of a dangerous chemical in a condominium complex home to about 4,000 New Yorkers
Both the city’s DEP and NYCHA — the agency that governs the city’s public housing — declined or did not comment.
Residents at the Riis homes have been told not to drink tap water, while city workers – including Adams on Friday – delivered free bottled water to residents.
A spokesman for Adams said “more accurate” water testing at the complex had not shown elevated levels of arsenic in the water.
Lutvak added, “While these results are encouraging, the health and safety of New Yorkers is a top priority, which is why the mayor has ordered additional testing be conducted to be absolutely sure the water is safe to drink. We are now awaiting test results for more than 100 additional delivery points.’
It appears the whole ordeal was a communications breakdown, as The City reported that it took NYCHA officials two weeks to let people know arsenic had been detected, a charge they denied.
Residents at the Riis homes have been told not to drink tap water, while city workers – including Adams on Friday – delivered free bottled water to residents
A spokesman for Adams said “more accurate” water testing at the complex had not shown elevated levels of arsenic in the water
It appears the whole ordeal was a communications breakdown, as The City reported that it took NYCHA officials two weeks to let people know arsenic had been detected, a charge they denied
NYCHA has been under federal surveillance since 2016 after a US attorney found it had failed to address issues like lead paint and mold at various complexes.
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, a Democrat, said, “If true, this is another indication of the problems at NYCHA and how NYCHA is administered.”
Adams said Monday: “We are conducting a full and thorough investigation and will be transparent about the sequence of what happened.”
