Harlem River Declared “Swimmable,” But Concerns Persist
It’s time to swap out your protective gear for swimwear, or so it seems. The state has officially declared the Harlem River—a waterway known for its pollution—a “swimmable” site. However, activists warn that ongoing issues with sewage and stormwater runoff may undermine this designation, potentially hindering future cleanup initiatives.
Last week, the state Department of Environmental Protection took a controversial step, reclassifying 30 bodies of water, including the Harlem River, situated between Manhattan and the Bronx close to Yankee Stadium.
Rather than heralding this change as a triumph for clean water, activists voiced their concerns. They highlighted that the river still faces significant pollution issues from dirty rainwater runoff. Critics argue that this new classification doesn’t mean we’ll see additional efforts to enhance the river’s condition.
Mike Duron, the legal program director for Riverkeeper, shared some alarming statistics with the Post: “The Harlem River currently receives more than 2 billion gallons of untreated sewage and contaminated stormwater each year.” It seems that this troubling situation is likely to persist. Duron expressed worries that the quality of the water might remain stagnant for the next couple of decades.
Following the latest ruling, the Harlem River has now been categorized as a “Rainy weather (WW) limited use” waterway, which permits swimming only during dry conditions.
Previously classified as “Class I,” swimming was not allowed, and only activities like fishing and boating were considered safe. With this change, it doesn’t mean that bathers can dive in immediately; still, the DEC hinted that this could open the door for swimming as cleanup efforts are expected to ramp up.
Interestingly, the similarly criticized Gowanus Canal has also been given a new designation, now recognized as a “fishable” area. However, it comes with caveats about lingering dangers, like fecal coliform bacteria. Duron pointed out a key difference: the Gowanus Canal is currently undergoing a gradual restoration to mitigate its Superfund site status.
Duron argued that the Harlem River might be swimmable on dry days, but any heavy rain would lead to overwhelming sewage system overflow, leading to pollution. The solution, he claims, lies in overhauling the Bronx’s outdated sewage infrastructure, a task that would require an eye-watering investment of around $9 billion.
He noted, “There is nothing in this rulemaking that would improve water quality by improving wastewater or stormwater infrastructure.” Those who kayak along the Harlem River, part of the local boating community, won’t likely see any benefits either.
Meanwhile, Riverkeeper is urging the DEC to rethink its infrastructure plans while continuing a protracted lawsuit with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding water classifications.
On the other hand, state officials celebrated the reclassification, claiming it “raises standards” and creates new possibilities for safe fishing, boating, and swimming in some of the city’s recovering waterways.
DEC Secretary Amanda Lefton emphasized that these regulatory changes reflect decades of hard work to reduce pollution, signaling that New York City’s waterways have never been cleaner in a generation.
