Hudson 7 Highlights: Accomplishments in 2024

The Hudson 7 visits the Dutchess County Water/Wastewater Authority (DCWWA) that uses the Hudson River to provide drinking water for the Town of Hyde Park in the fall, 2024.

2024 has been a year of significant milestones for the Hudson 7.  We’ve achieved key objectives in our ongoing work, launched several new initiatives to strengthen support for Hudson 7 drinking water treatment plants, and solidified our position as a leading voice in advocating for improved water quality and the protection of the Hudson River as a drinking water source. These accomplishments reflect our dedication to ensuring clean drinking water for our communities, protecting our vital water resources, and addressing emerging challenges head-on.  None of this would have been possible without the continued support of our communities and partners. Thank you for your dedication and partnership. We look forward to what we can achieve together in the years ahead.  

We provided a full presentation in November to show the council's accomplishments in 2024 that is available to VIEW.  Below are some of the highlights.  

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our work, please contact us at: hudson7info (at) gmail.com.

Goal 1:  “Work with a lawyer to research and identify the appropriate non-profit structure and bylaws for the organization”

In 2024, the Hudson 7 created a task force to explore potential organizational structures and provide recommendations to the council for future direction. After a thorough evaluation, the task force concluded that the Hudson 7 should pursue the establishment of a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization while maintaining the existing joint municipal board structure under its Intermunicipal Agreement and Memorandum of Agreement. By late fall, all necessary paperwork was submitted to the state, setting the stage for the Hudson 7 to become its own 501(c)(3) organization in the coming year. This move aims to enhance the council’s ability to secure funding, expand its initiatives, and strengthen its commitment to protecting regional drinking water sources.

Goal 2: “Develop, evaluate and review all necessary policies and procedures for the Hudson 7 and its committees for the council to discuss and adopt.”

In 2024, the Hudson 7 enhanced its efforts to engage with the public and increase transparency. A public-facing motions document was created to showcase the council's activities and decisions since its inception in 2018, providing easy access to key moments in Hudson 7's history. Additionally, the Hudson 7 launched its presence on social media by creating Facebook and Instagram pages, accompanied by the development of a social media policy to guide communication and ensure consistency. These initiatives mark an important step in sharing vital updates and fostering public awareness of the council’s work to protect drinking water sources.

Goal 4:  “Develop a plan that includes communications, training sessions and shared services support for participating municipality’s drinking water operators.”

Supporting drinking water treatment plants and their operators remains the cornerstone of the Hudson 7's mission. In 2024, to celebrate its six-year anniversary, the Hudson 7 launched its first annual Water Operators Appreciation Week  in May. This initiative featured daily profiles of water plant operators from all five Hudson 7 water treatment plants, shining a spotlight on their essential contributions.

The council also updated its shared services document, expanding it to include not only equipment but also new categories like sampling, chemicals, training opportunities, and other resources such as conference rooms. Additionally, the Hudson 7 established a Water Treatment Plant Committee to address the unique challenges of treating water from the Hudson River. The committee is developing the first educational program specifically for Hudson 7 plant operators, offering credits and tailored training to enhance their expertise and collaboration.

Here are reflections from several of our Hudson 7 communities’ drinking water plant leaders and technical advisors on the impact the Hudson 7 has had in their communities. 

“The last 3.5 years as Superintendent, the Hudson 7 has helped bridge the gap between all 5 of its municipal members, specifically the ''Water Operators'' and ''Chief Operators/Superintendent's/Management''. Furthermore, my entire staff feel like they're part of a tighter knit community of water operators thanks to Hudson 7 scheduled & coordinated events.”   - Nicholas Butler, Superintendent, Port Ewen Water & Sewer

“The Dutchess County Water and Wastewater Authority (DCWWA) has found the Hudson 7 to be an invaluable forum for learning and sharing knowledge among water professionals dedicated to the reliable provision of potable water. With the knowledge base and regulatory landscape constantly evolving, Hudson 7’s collaborative environment has been essential for keeping pace with best practices and ensuring the safety and sustainability of our water resources. For example, a recent facility tour sparked passionate conversations regarding coagulants best management practices and application rates during seasonal changes in surface water. These discussions were both enriching and rare to encounter outside of groups like Hudson 7, where shared insights lead to innovative solutions.”  - Jonathan Churins, Executive Director Dutchess County Water and Wastewater Authority

“Operators working together to operate plants more efficiently, improve knowledge, share experiences, and share resources is a dream come true for me, and I am thrilled that Hudson 7 is improving this cooperation. Educational requirements to obtain and maintain licenses are stringent and time-consuming. These requirements also have limited the number of licensed operators. The Hudson 7 plans to help operators meet those requirements by conducting classes on the unique challenges of treating Hudson River water. Hudson 7 has also developed lists of equipment that operators could share. These lists could help during emergencies and breakdowns of critical equipment. The Hudson 7 can coordinate emergency plans to help each other in the future. The Hudson 7 has collected emergency plans for all the plants, which is the first step in developing coordinated plans. Hudson 7 is definitely the catalyst to bring opportunities to all the operators of the Hudson 7”   - Paul E. Malmrose, PE, Engineering Technical Advisor

Goal 5:  “Create outreach and education materials such as a presentation about the Hudson 7’s accomplishments to date, importance for the water supply, and priorities, to ensure that member communities and other collaborators are well informed about the work and value of the council.”

This year, the Hudson 7 created a Fact Sheet to help onboard new council members and engage the public, providing a clear overview of the council’s mission and ongoing initiatives. 

Goal 6:  “Complete the map of the Hudson River Drinking Water watershed including known threats and concerns to be adopted by each municipality and included in a new source water assessment.”

In 2019, with the support of Tighe & Bond and sponsorship from the Town of Esopus, the Hudson 7 communities submitted an application to participate in the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation's Drinking Water Source Protection Program (DWSP2). This effort aimed to create a comprehensive source water protection plan for the Hudson 7, building on the 2017 Scorecard report developed in collaboration with Riverkeeper. All five Hudson 7 communities with drinking water intakes were selected to participate in the DWSP2 program by the NYSDEC. After years of dedicated effort, the Hudson 7 submitted its draft DWSP2 plan to New York State for review and approval. The council looks forward to presenting the plan to all Hudson 7 communities to collaboratively safeguard the Hudson River as a vital drinking water source.

Goal 8a: CHPE Committee: Successfully influencing the CHPE route at a safe distance from drinking water intakes. 

Along with the Hudson 7’s Proposed Testing & Monitoring Protocols, and a pair of studies assessing the impacts of the underwater transmission line, the Hudson 7 played a pivotal role in influencing the cable route of the Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE) transmission able to ensure it was located at a safe distance from the Hudson 7 drinking water intakes, protecting this vital resource. After years of dedicated efforts and success, the Hudson 7 developed a detailed timeline of Hudson 7 developed a detailed timeline of events that outlines the council’s consistent and focused efforts to ensure drinking water protections throughout the CHPE process within the section of the river that supplies drinking water to Hudson 7 communities.