NEW YORK — Health officials are proposing stronger oversight of rooftop water tanks in New York City, according to an article in The New York Times.
These water tanks supply drinking water to millions of residents each day, but are often neglected by their owners, the article reported.
The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene proposes changing the health code to require annual tank inspections by building owners to be submitted to the city, noted the article.
Although owners are currently responsible for cleaning, inspecting and testing water tanks yearly, continued the article, they are only required to have records from the past five years available upon request.
According to the release, this proposal follows the results of a New York Times investigation that found some tanks containing E. coli, suggesting animals could have gotten in the tanks and that regulations were not being followed or enforced.
Read the full article here.
