Hudson 7 2025 Year in Review: Protecting Our Drinking Water and Strengthening Our Network

2025 has been a busy and productive year for the Hudson River Drinking Water Intermunicipal Council (Hudson 7).  By advancing our long-term priorities, responding to river events, and welcoming new technical expertise, the Council continues to strengthen collaboration among municipalities, state and federal partners, and community stakeholders to protect the Hudson River as a drinking water source for more than 100,000 people. These accomplishments would not be possible without the yearly fees contributed by each Hudson 7 municipality and county.  This year’s achievements reflect years of investment and strategic work to build the Hudson 7 into the effective regional council that it is today. The Source Water Protection Coordinator has been central to advancing these long-term goals, many of which were established in 2023. 

We are also pleased to share that the Hudson 7’s 501(c)(3) request has been approved.  In 2026, we’ll begin exploring next steps to maintain the council’s core work and launch a separate supporting organization to expand funding options for this critical mission.  This next phase will continue to be driven by our water treatment plant operators and guided by the action items in our Drinking Water Source Protection (DWSP2) plan.  

Starting the Year: Long-Term Planning with Captain John Lipscomb

We kicked off 2025 with a presentation from Hudson 7 Technical Advisor Captain John Lipscomb, who outlined the key long-term issues for the Hudson 7 to address in 2025 and beyond. Drawing on decades of experience on the Hudson River, Captain Lipscomb brought attention to several critical priorities, including the risks posed by spills, and the roughly 90 million gallons of landfill leachate delivered each year to sewer treatment plants along the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers. These plants are not equipped to filter toxic chemicals, resulting in the discharge of these contaminants into these rivers that serve as drinking water supplies. He also noted the Council’s unique ability to achieve meaningful outcomes and reaffirmed his commitment to continue collaborating with the Hudson 7.

March–August: Taking Action and Strengthening Partnerships

​Between March and August, the Hudson 7 was busy connecting with state and federal partners, sharing information, and advocating for drinking water protection. Following Captain Lipscomb’s January presentation, we sent letters to CSX Transportation requesting a complete inventory of rail bridges, to the U.S. Coast Guard on ACP updates, spill risks, and vessel safety, and to NYSDEC, requesting water quality presentations and urging new rules for on-site landfill leachate treatment.

We also organized a series of important discussions and partnerships this year, including the NYSDEC Lower Hudson Monitoring Review, a briefing with U.S. Coast Guard Sector New York, support for the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (PRRIA), engagement with Central Hudson Gas & Electric on their MGP Pre-Design Investigation, and a grant partnership with Dutchess County through the submission of a Local Stewardship Planning Grant Application through the Hudson River Estuary Program.

A major milestone this year was Captain John Lipscomb’s appointment as the Hudson 7 representative to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Training & Exercise and Response & Recovery subcommittees. This first-of-its-kind appointment reflects years of relationship-building with the Coast Guard and promises to greatly strengthen the region’s emergency preparedness and interagency coordination efforts.

May: Celebrating Seven Years and Releasing the Draft Drinking Water Source Protection (DWSP2) Plan

May was a month of celebration, as we marked our 7th anniversary at Marist College’s historic Cornell Boathouse. To commemorate the occasion, we unveiled the Draft Drinking Water Source Protection Program (DWSP2) Plan, an important step toward protecting the long-term safety of our shared water source.

The DWSP2 Plan identifies key risks to the Hudson River estuary—including contamination, climate impacts, and emerging threats—and lays out practical, science-based strategies to address them. The anniversary event also featured a first-of-its-kind educational session for Hudson 7 water treatment plant operators, led by Dottie DiNobile and Randy Alstadt of the Poughkeepsies’ Water Treatment Facility, offering valuable insights on how changing river conditions affect treatment.

We also launched our second annual Water Operators Appreciation Week, shining a spotlight on the essential work of drinking water plant operators across the Hudson 7.

The Council thanks our water operators, municipal and county partners, Riverkeeper for sponsoring the anniversary event, and DEC and DOH for their continued support of this critical work.

Draft DWSP2 in Review

The DWSP2—a cornerstone of our work moving forward—is now in its third review with New York State. Once finalized, it will serve as a roadmap for protecting source waters through initiatives such as coordinating spill drills with the U.S. Coast Guard, expanding watershed monitoring, strengthening collaboration among municipalities, and addressing risks from anchorages, leachate, wastewater, and rail infrastructure. We expect approval soon and are preparing to incorporate its recommendations into our 2025–2028 Work Plan.  Read more about the draft plan here: https://bit.ly/4jjAyRA

September–October: Technical Expertise & River Response - From a Salt Front to HABs and Coal Tar

This fall, the Hudson 7 focused on building technical expertise and responding to events on the river. Robert M. Scott, Operations Engineer at the Queensbury Water Plant, joined the Council from the upper Hudson River. We learned that the Queensbury Water Plant draws its raw water directly from the Hudson River near Sherman Island Dam and supplies approximately 40,000 residents in Queensbury and the surrounding communities of Moreau, Kingsbury, and Hudson Falls. It also serves as a backup supply for Glens Falls and Fort Edward. Similarly, the Saratoga Water Authority draws from this stretch of the river, providing water to multiple communities across Saratoga County.

We were also pleased to welcome Jonathan Churins, Executive Director of the Dutchess County Water and Wastewater Authority (DCWWA), as Technical Advisor for Water Infrastructure & GIS. Jonathan’s expertise in data, mapping, and system planning strengthens the Council’s technical capacity. Additionally, Eric Weinstock, a geologist and technical advisor, became a voting member representing the Town of Hyde Park, further expanding the Hudson 7’s expertise and decision-making capabilities.

The council also had the opportunity to showcase the essential role of our technical advisors during the Hudson River Watershed Alliance annual meeting at Norrie Point in October, with Rebecca Martin, Source Water Protection Coordinator, delivering the presentation.

Following a summer drought, we witnessed another salt front, with impacts to Poughkeepsie that have only just recently resolved. Riverkeeper provided briefings on Indian Point, to share updates with the council regarding the recent federal court decision striking down the Save the Hudson Act— a New York law that had prevented the dumping of 1.5 million gallons of radioactive wastewater from Indian Point into the Hudson River and that the Hudson 7 engaged on back in 2023. At the same time, a Harmful Algal Bloom (HABs)—the first of its kind in our reach of the river—tested the Council’s communication and collaboration systems. While it revealed areas for future improvement, our system performed successfully. 

Around the same time, Clearwater documented a coal tar sheen near Poughkeepsie, which the Hudson 7 monitored for several months. As a result, the Council formally requested that NYSDEC convene immediate meetings with Central Hudson to address both short- and long-term MGP site containment concerns.

November: USCG Response & Preparedness Deep DiveIn November, the Hudson 7 hosted an in-depth presentation from United States Coast Guard Sector New York, featuring Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CWO-2) Rory Jenkins, Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Gregory R. Hersch, and Commander (CDR) Brandon Aten. The session was historic and provided an opportunity to engage directly with the Coast Guard. As they stated during their presentation, the key to effective spill response is meeting the people before an incident occurs, not during it—a principle the Hudson 7 takes seriously as we continue strengthening regional preparedness.

See you all next year!

We look forward to continuing our work in 2026—building on our progress, advancing the DWSP2, and safeguarding the Hudson River as a vital source of drinking water for our communities.  If you'd like to join on our mailing list, please contact Rebecca Martin, Source Water Protection Coordinator at: hudson7info (at) gmail.com