Rockland County, New York, is located upstream from New York City on the Hudson River. The Hudson River is an American Heritage Designated River and is also recognized as an estuary of national importance, as it significantly contributes to New York’s economy, heritage, recreation, environment, and aesthetic beauty. Currently, the County is grappling with its clean water future.

Hudson River Desalination
The private water utility, United Water New York ("United Water"), is proposing to meet long term drinking water needs by building a desalination plant on the shores of the Hudson River. Before ratepayers commit to building and operating a desalinating plant, it is critical to understand the economic and environmental ramifications of this infrastructure, as well as thoughtfully consider the myriad of low-cost alternatives to energy-intensive desalination water treatment infrastructure.

Sustainable Water Management
Properly managing a water supply should include promoting meaningful conservation and efficiency measures, which will ensure a dedicated and healthy supply for many years into the future. Rockland County has neither fully explored nor implemented water conservation measures such as green infrastructure, sustainable land use planning, and retrofits to water systems. Rather than plunging into new desalination technology, which poses new threats to our waters, Rockland needs to explore sustainable water use.

Updated by mwallach 5/27/11