To promote swimming in the Harlem River, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation is proposing to reclassify it, with the caveat that swimming is not permitted during or after rainy seasons. The plan would continue to allow almost 2 billion gallons of raw sewage to enter the river annually without addressing the underlying issue. Environmentalists contend that rather than improving the waterway, the plan merely lowers standards. The estimated cost of updating the Bronx’s antiquated sewage systems is $9 billion, a sum that officials believe is not feasible.
Swimming Proposal Faces Backlash
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation’s proposal to reclassify the Harlem River to encourage swimming has sparked significant controversy among environmental advocates and community members. Currently designated as a Class I waterbody suitable only for fishing and boating, the state is considering upgrading it to Class SB with a “wet weather” exception. This would technically permit swimming but advise against it after rainfall due to sewage overflow concerns. Critics argue this approach simply legalizes pollution rather than addressing it.
The proposal would maintain the status quo of allowing nearly 2 billion gallons of raw sewage to spill into the river annually from 65 different sewer system outfalls. The reclassification would suspend water quality standards for up to 36 hours after rain, a frequent occurrence in New York City. This approach has galvanized community activists who demand more substantive solutions to the pollution problem rather than what they view as regulatory sleight of hand.
Harlem Meer: A Natural Haven In Central Park With A Rich History https://t.co/HHm1xieYhR pic.twitter.com/HtFnzaHnld
— Wed in Central Park (@CentralParkWed) June 11, 2025
The Billion-Dollar Cleanup Price Tag
At the heart of the controversy is the enormous cost associated with properly addressing the river’s pollution. The DEP’s draft report indicates that achieving a full SB classification without exceptions would require a 75% reduction in combined sewage overflows (CSOs), costing approximately $9.32 billion. Complete CSO elimination would cost even more at $11.48 billion. Officials maintain these costs are financially unfeasible, especially considering the potential impact on local residents.
Upgrading the river without the wet weather exception would increase user fees by $183 per household citywide. This presents a particular burden for the Harlem River watershed, where 30% of residents live below the federal poverty level. The financial constraints have led officials to propose the compromise solution of allowing swimming with exceptions, rather than committing to comprehensive infrastructure upgrades that would prevent sewage from entering the river in the first place.
With 65 sewer system outfalls feeding its waters, the Harlem River receives more combined sewage overflow than any other river in New York. Advocates say the state's proposal is "a cop-out" that would let the city off the hook in addressing that pollution. https://t.co/SKVCklxNkT
— City Limits (@CityLimitsNews) June 5, 2025
Community Impact and Health Concerns
The Harlem River’s pollution is not merely an environmental issue but an equity concern affecting predominantly minority communities. The Bronx has ranked as the “least healthy” county in New York for 16 consecutive years, with limited access to exercise opportunities being a contributing factor. The polluted waterway represents a lost recreational resource for local residents, particularly in underserved neighborhoods that have historically received less infrastructure investment than other parts of the city.
“It was a space that was once such a vibrant part of our communities and somehow had been taken away, almost like a history forgotten,” Chauncy Young
The waterway was once a hub for recreational activities before urbanization reduced access. Recent years have seen a resurgence in interest, with rowing clubs and other water-based activities making tentative returns to the river. While advocates express optimism about increased access to “blue space,” the persistent pollution threatens to undermine these efforts. Over a dozen politicians have now requested that the DEC reconsider its proposal, pushing for higher water quality standards that would make the river truly safe for recreation.
Alternative Solutions
Some progress is being made through targeted initiatives like the Tibbetts Brook Daylighting Project, which aims to reduce CSOs by over 215 million gallons annually. This represents only about 10% of the current sewage overflow, highlighting the scale of the problem. Activists argue that more comprehensive solutions are needed, particularly upgrading the Bronx’s outdated sewage systems to handle increased capacity during rainfall and prevent raw sewage from entering the river.
The Clean Water Act of 1972 contributed to significant improvements in the river’s condition compared to its state in the early 1900s. However, critics contend that the current proposal represents a retreat from the act’s original vision of making all American waterways fishable and swimmable. They demand the river be swimmable 100% of the time, not just during dry periods, requiring substantial infrastructure investment rather than regulatory adjustments that accommodate continued pollution.