NEWBURGH – Since the state
began offering free blood testing for Newburgh residents who consume city
water, only 2,200 people have taken advantage of the program, just 7.8
percent of the population. And while the health department plans to end
the testing on October 31, City Manager Michael Ciaravino has asked state
Health Commissioner Howard Zucker to leave the testing open ended.
The concern is if residents who have consumed water from the city’s
Washington Lake reservoir have suffered any ill effects from the PFOS
chemical in the lake that made its way into the water system from firefighting
foam at the Stewart Air National Guard base.
For over a year, Washington Lake has not been as a water source; instead
the city is buying water from the New York City aqueduct with the state
footing the bill.
In a letter to Dr. Zucker, Ciaravino also noted specialized outreach is
needed to get the message to non-English speaking residents and those
who lack technology and ready access to information.
