Is It Safe to Swim in the Hudson River? Water Quality and Safety Guide
- Open-water swimming events like the New York City Triathlon, the Hudson Crossing Triathlon, the Great Hudson River Swim, and the Liberty to Freedom Swim take place in waters...
- Over a period of approximately 30 years beginning in 1947, the General Electric Company discharged more than one million pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls into the Hudson River from...
- General Electric began remediation work on the river in 2009 and tested pollution levels in the Upper Hudson over several decades under the supervision of the U.S.
Open-water swimming events like the New York City Triathlon, the Hudson Crossing Triathlon, the Great Hudson River Swim, and the Liberty to Freedom Swim take place in waters that are significantly safer than they were decades ago, though environmental challenges and pollution advisories remain.
Historical Pollution and Industrial Cleanup Efforts
Over a period of approximately 30 years beginning in 1947, the General Electric Company discharged more than one million pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls into the Hudson River from industrial manufacturing plants located in Hudson Falls and Fort Edward, New York. Greg Williams of the environmental advocacy organization Hudson River Sloop Clearwater dubbed the river an industrial sewer during the 1960s. Although the production of PCBs was banned in the United States in 1979, the lingering effects remain evident today.
General Electric began remediation work on the river in 2009 and tested pollution levels in the Upper Hudson over several decades under the supervision of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In February 2002, the EPA issued a Record of Decision for the river that mandated the removal of approximately 2.65 million cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment from the river bottom, following the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972 which prohibited the discharge of pollutants into navigable waters without a permit.
Current Water Quality and Riverkeeper Tracking Tools
To help the public track conditions, Riverkeeper launched an updated interactive map and online portal loaded with data from nearly 250 sites along the river, spanning from New York Harbor to the Adirondacks. Riverkeeper President Tracy Brown stated that the portal addresses information gaps caused by federal environmental oversight cutbacks.
As federal agencies cut staff and pull long-standing data systems offline, gaps in information grow wider and tools like Riverkeeper’s Water Quality Portal become more vital. — Tracy Brown Tracy Brown
The portal incorporates data regarding sewer systems discharging untreated sewage, alongside the impacts of rainstorms and drought on water quality, assigning pass or fail grades to swimming and boating locations based on fecal matter detection. The system received $250,000 in federal funding secured by U.S. Senator Charles Schumer in the 2023 budget. Schumer noted that the tool fills a gap left by staffing reductions and cutbacks at the EPA.
Fish Consumption Advisories and Health Risks
Environmental contaminants such as PCBs and mercury persist in the tissues of the Hudson River’s more than 200 fish species. The New York State Department of Health advises women of childbearing age and children under 15 years old to avoid eating fish or crabs caught from the river, and encourages communities to post warning signs. Specific species like largemouth bass and northern pike are listed as do not eat for sensitive populations in Adirondack Park, and limited to one meal a month for the general population.
