TOWN OF NEWBURGH – A private well survey in the vicinity of the Stewart Air National Guard Base is underway. The base is believed to be a source of PFOS contamination in the City of Newburgh’s watershed.
State Senator William Larkin said the state health department will conduct a survey of private wells in the area of the Guard base “to identify whether or not private wells in this area have PFOS contamination.”
The senator said the health department has recommended that persons with
private wells, especially pregnant women or breastfeeding mothers, may
want to consider using bottled water for drinking, cooking, and preparing
infant formula until their well is tested and the quality of their water
supply can be assured.
Individuals with private wells can have their drinking water tested for free, Larkin said. To determine if a person lives in the vicinity of the Guard base and is eligible for well testing, call the state health department at 518-402-7880.
Since Washington Lake, Newburgh’s primary water supply, was found to contain the carcinogenic chemical, it was taken off line. The city has been tapping the New York City Catskill Aqueduct for its water with the state picking up the tab.