NYCHA's Jacob Riis Houses tenants say during City Council hearing they don't trust water after arsenic scare
NEW YORK -- NYCHA is on the hot seat Friday during a City Council hearing over the recent arsenic scare at a Manhattan public housing complex.
Jacob Riis Houses residents were told their tap water wasn't safe, but the city later said the test results were false.
The hearing was moved to City Hall after so many people showed up and they couldn't fit in the original room, CBS2's Lisa Rozner reported.
NYCHA's interim CEO apologized for the false results, but it was clearly not enough for the residents and council members.
Weeks after NYCHA told tenants the water was safe to drink, tenants who noticed cloudy water in July and August showed up to say they don't trust it.
"Clear, but I still don't trust it," said Yesenia Vargas.
At the council's Committee on Public Housing hearing, NYCHA's interim CEO touted systemwide reforms before being told by the committee chair to explain the mixed messages given to residents over arsenic results.
"From May 1st through September 3, 2022, NYCHA received 93 complaints about cloudy water," said Liza Bova-Hyatt, interim NYCHA president.
Bova-Hyatt said testing was performed but the vendor the city used sent the tests to an unauthorized lab.
"This is the water. This is life we're talking about, people's life. What's it going to take? Is it going to take someone to die before they start getting on the ball?" said tenant David Brasuell.
The most shocking revelation that came out in the hearing is that NYCHA is still working with the same vendor for testing for legionella, but officials said they are looking at legal action to remove them.
As CBS2's John Dias reported, lawyers for the tenants announced a lawsuit over the drinking water scare, seeking damages for both illness and fear of illness, and also demanding on-site health testing.
"A lot of people around here are angry," one person said.
"They just left us hanging," said another. "Makes us feel like we are not seen or heard."
"They should come and check more often. Ever since they checked the water then, they haven't come back," said resident Romeo Rodriguez.
"Never seen a situation like this, not this bad," said resident Helen Rios.
Rios has lived in the complex for 30 years, and says many residents continue to rely heavily on bottled water.
"Have you heard about anyone moving out because of this?" Dias asked.
"No. No one could afford to move out, it is affordable housing," Rios said.
Earlier this month, Mayor Eric Adams even showed up to the complex trying to reassure residents it's safe by having a glass of tap water himself, but residents were not impressed.
"That's only one time. He don't live in the complex," Rios said.
Since the scare, NYCHA Chair Gregory Russ, appointed by former Mayor Bill de Blasio, stepped down, but will still remain chairman of NYCHA's board of directors.
When it comes to finding a replacement for the CEO, Adams is still searching for one. He is looking across the country.
