New York City's tap water supply is facing an unexpected, destructive threat: 'We don't know what many of [them] are capable of'

Three invasive species are affecting New York City's water quality, and government officials are doing everything possible to stop the spread before it's too late.

What's happening?

New York City's tap water is called the '"champagne of tap water," and for good reason. Its water supply, which comes from nearly 20 reservoirs and three lakes, is disinfected, treated, and distributed at a high quality to millions of residents — but its reputation could quickly change.

The invasive species are affecting the water quality, and government officials are doing everything they can to stop the spread before it's too late, as Inside Climate News detailed.

Zebra mussels, small mollusks, are clogging the water supply systems. These mussels rapidly reproduce, and one mussel can produce up to a million mussels per year, according to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.

They feed on certain types of algae, allowing other species, like cyanobacteria, to thrive. The cyanobacteria reproduce and spread across the surface of the water, inhibiting boats, decreasing water quality, and killing fish.

Meanwhile, hydrilla, also known as waterthyme, joins the cyanobacteria in covering the surface of lakes and reservoirs, blocking sunlight and killing aquatic plants and fish. Waterfleas eat up zooplankton, allowing cyanobacteria to reproduce even faster, per the news report.

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It's a terrible trio, and New York City's water quality will suffer until they're stopped.

Why is the presence of invasive species in New York's water important?

Invasive species can have a significant impact on the native ecosystem, spoiling the water quality. If the water is unsafe, millions could suffer.

Each day, "more than 8.8 million residents of New York City and 1 million people living in the counties of Westchester, Putnam, Orange, and Ulster" receive water from the system's reservoirs and lakes, per NYC's 2023 Drinking Water Supply and Quality Report.

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The unknown is also a concern. According to Inside Climate News, there is worry among scientists that with the warming planet, more improperly dumped organisms will flourish in these bodies of water.

Nicole White, the founder of Little Bear Environmental Consulting, told the outlet: "There's been concern, because we don't know what many of the species are capable of."

What is being done about the water supply?

It can be extremely difficult or even impossible to eliminate these species once they've established themselves within the canals and lakes, so time is of the essence.

Scott George, a biologist, told Inside Climate News that "the more quickly you can identify a problematic invasive species, whether it's a plant, an animal, a fish, the more quickly you can identify that it's colonized a new area, the higher the probability that it can either be managed or possibly even eradicated completely."

Researchers are coming up with new ways to stop their spread, like monitoring species' population numbers, decontaminating boats entering the canals, and other policy changes.