Cayuga County Health Board Calls on Governor to Protect Owasco Lake

The Cayuga County Board of Health is calling on Governor Hochul to protect Owasco Lake.

In a September letter to the governor, the board asked that she direct state agencies to reincorporate the rules and regulations for the lake that were submitted by the county health department in 2020 on behalf of Auburn and Owasco. The letter went on to call the state’s revised rules and regulations “little more than window dressing,” preventing the protection of the source of drinking water for 45,000 people.

The letter goes on to note that the possibilitly exits that cyanotoxins entering the water system could force the health department to issue a do not drink order for Auburn residents.

The City of Auburn and the Town of Owasco have also asked the governor to intervene to help protect the health of Owasco Lake.

Last month, state and local officials were at Owasco Lake to reaffirm their commitment to push New York to act to protect the lake.