Officials from Newburgh and Poughkeepsie reported dumping a sewage and wastewater overflow, totaling a half-million gallons, in to the Hudson River during heavy rains this past week.

In a statement posted to the city's website, Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison says “the discharge as reported is nothing new.”

“It is a common occurrence and fully permitted by any and all regulatory agencies including the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation," according to the statement.

A representative for the DEC says the river is routinely checked to ensure safety. Officials from both Newburgh and Poughkeepsie say drinking water was not affected by the sewage dumping.

Officials say the public is only hearing about these sewer discharges now because of a recent change in the way it's reported – making it more transparent. While the practice might be alarming to some, it doesn't appear to be stopping anytime soon.

Health officials say despite the seemingly large volume of sewage released this week, it's not a public health concern at this time.