NEWBURGH – The State Department of Environmental Conservation is
going to hire an engineering company to design and build a new filtration
plant to remove PFOA and PFOS from Washington Lake. Those are the chemicals
that have contaminated the lake, Newburgh’s primary water source,
resulting in the shift of the city’s supply first to Brown’s
Pond, and now from the New York City Catskill Aqueduct.
The state has told city officials they will pay for the New York City
water from the aqueduct, which would run over $262,000 per month.
With Washington Lake off-line, the water level is rising and City Manager
Michael Ciaravino is concerned the old earthen dam there could, at some
point, fail.
As a precaution, water is being diverted to Silver Stream.
Ciaravino told the city council Thursday night that an ancient valve at
Brown’s Pond needs to be replaced and that will amount to a substantial
amount of money.
The source of the chemicals has yet to be pinpointed; however, it is believed
some of it is coming from the Air National Guard Base at nearby Stewart
Airport.
Mayor Judy Kennedy toured the facilities on Wednesday to get more of a
handle on the situation.
The city continues to operate in an emergency mode, which disallows, among
other things, the filling of pools. And while Newburgh officials believe
the city’s 157,000 gallon pool at the Delano-Hitch is believed to
be a necessity for kids during the summer, it cannot legally be filled
now.
The city also faces the issue of verbally promised reimbursement of expenses
by the state DEC and how to cover costs until it is reimbursed.
Ciaravino said if the state supreme fund will cover the expenses, the
city could draw on that money immediately.
City officials will meet privately with state representatives next week
in an effort to secure answers to many of their questions.
