Hydrilla, a non-native aquatic plant, has been labeled one of the world’s most invasive species. While it can dominate shallow, warm waters in places like Florida, its threat in deep, cold lakes such as those in New York is far less clear. Nevertheless, aggressive chemical eradication campaigns have been launched across the state, including in Cayuga Lake and the New Croton Reservoir—key drinking water sources for millions. These treatments have relied heavily on herbicides like fluridone, often applied in massive quantities over several years.
Fluridone is a PFAS chemical—a class of compounds known for their persistence in the environment and growing links to serious health issues. Despite being banned from use in food packaging and other consumer products in New York, it’s being deliberately applied to drinking water sources at concentrations vastly exceeding current PFAS safety thresholds. Native aquatic plant populations have sharply declined, and no monitoring has been conducted on the impacts to fish, birds, or invertebrates. With millions of New Yorkers at potential risk, experts are calling for more transparency, scientific scrutiny, and a halt to unnecessary herbicide use in critical water supplies.