Woodbury and South Blooming Grove Residents Are Running Out of Water

The potential for extreme heat events this Summer in New York are high, meaning lives are in danger in our area thanks to extreme heat and a constrained water supply.

Something I think about often is the elderly population in Southern Orange County.

This is front and center for me, because I help take care of my parents, both in their 70s.

I also know, thanks to those of you who have filled out the reader survey, that a good chunk of you are over 65.

So, when I see predictions from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration like this one, I worry:

I worry because extreme heat can kill.

And if you live in South Blooming Grove or Woodbury, you’re short on water.

Now imagine an extreme heat event occuring this Summer and your village running out of water. This is a very real concern for residents of South Blooming Grove. This is also a possibility for residents of Woodbury. Especially if one of the current wells should fail in its operations.

That is a deadly combination of water shortages and extreme heat facing those residents. (Which, by the way, makes all the building in SBG and the desire to overturn the building moratorium in Woodbury criminal. Because you’re actively making a bad situation worse for no other reason than the financial gain of wealthy developers.)

Woodbury does have its Climate Smart Task Force looking into solutions to this problem, but South Blooming Grove has …

Nothing?

Is nothing a polite way to describe the criminal ineptitude of the village government?

I think it is.

So today, we’re going to take a brief look at the extreme heat.

Although the larger issue of Climate Change can only be solved by direct, immediate action by the federal government — Presently, we’ve only got half-assed measures — the lack of water and the regularity of extreme heat is a existential threat to our area’s elderly population.

Doing nothing is not an option.

Use the Extreme Heat Tracker

First and foremost, if you are over 65, have children in the family, or suffer from a disability, the first thing you can do to better protect yourself is use NOAA and the CDC’s HeatRisk tracker.

Just tap or click on the magnifying glass, enter your zip code, and you can see what the heat level and forecast is in your area.

This is definitely something you’ll want to bookmark and make use of.

There might not be anything YOU can do, specifically, about climate change, but you can absolutely take steps to take care of yourself when the extreme heat comes.

For example, if you are in need of a cooling center for one reason or another, the New York State Department of Health has a cooling center location finder here.

The Department of Health also advises the following for extreme heat preparation:

• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids, but avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks.

• Not all methods for staying cool during a heat wave are effective. Using a fan can be more harmful than helpful when indoor air is hotter than your body temperature. Know when it's too hot for a fan.

• Take regular breaks when working or playing outdoors and avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day (between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.).

• Plan ahead for heat waves or when indoor temperatures pose a risk of heat-related illness, especially if you are an older adult or family caregiver.

• Make sure that you can open your windows and/or that your air conditioner is working properly.

• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to learn more about medications that might make you sensitive to the sun or heat.

Stop Making The Local Water Situation Worse

Above: An extreme heat event is happening right now in Mexico City. 48 people have died from the heat in a city where, usually, only 2 die.

Now, listen, Upstate New York is not Mexico City.

Duh.

But what you’re seeing happen is a preview of some of the challenges we WILL face in the coming years. (Not to mention, other climate-related hazards like the historic flooding we had in the Hudson Valley in 2023.)

Mexico City also has something in common with South Blooming Grove: The looming threat of a Day Zero.

A “Day Zero” is when your municipality runs out of water.

The reason I share all this with you is to first, make sure you’re able to take care of yourself and your neighbors as the extreme heat events occur this Summer.

The second reason is to encourage you to get out and speak at your local government meetings about this important issue.

Obviously, Woodbury and South Blooming Grove residents should be banging this drum loudly, right now.

Because people are going to die. That’s not hysteria. It’s not hyperbole. It’s fact.

But the rest of our area in Southern Orange County, Sullivan County, and Rockland County, won’t escape this stuff either. No part of New York State is “Safe.”

When I lived up in Potsdam, near the very top of the State, the joke up that way is that the St. Lawrence River will soon flood from the ice caps melting, making Potsdam beach front property.

The challenge of Climate Change is something only the federal government can fix. But when it comes to the actions of our local governments, it’s our responsibility to hold them accountable and make sure they don’t take any action that puts people in danger.

Right now, both Woodbury and South Blooming Grove are on that exact path.