MATTITUCK, N.Y. — The Suffolk County Water Authority has been finding large amounts of more than 100 pesticides in Long Island groundwater for years, but local farmers say they cannot make a living without them, according to a report from Long Island’s local News 12.
The Suffolk County Water Authority conducts groundwater testing that far surpasses the state and federal requirements, according to the report, and they have found traces of pesticides that have been banned for years in local wells.
One insecticide, called imidacloprid, is widely used, but has been shown to cause reproductive issues in lab animals, stated the report.
On the North Fork of Long Island, where many farms are located, 40,000 homes still use private wells that may not have proper filtration systems, noted the report.
Some residents quoted in the article suspect their health problems are caused by pesticides in their water, although there is no scientific proof for these claims.
Farmers quoted in the article hoped that any proposed bans would take scientific research into account and leave them with economical solutions to continue making a living.
Read the full report here.
