NEWBURGH – Up the road from the City of Newburgh’s water treatment plant is Washington Lake, which had been a water supply source for the City of Newburgh until PFAS/PFOA chemicals were found in 2016 that shut down use of the lake.
But now the state has passed legislation that will expand the testing for chemicals in drinking water that may stave off the on-going disaster in the city.
“This really a landmark law,” said Senator James Skoufis, (D, Cornwall), who helped pass the new legislation.
The measure establishes new thresholds for dozens of new chemicals that have not been tested for in public water supplies, the most comprehensive list of contaminates that will need to be tested in the country.
“It is absolutely overdue. We have carried the bill for a number of years, and it took a new administration to sign the bill,” Skoufis said Thursday while standing in front of the treatment plant. “The good news is for 20 million New Yorkers; they are going to know their water is clean or not. And if it’s not, they can take action to make it clean.”
The contamination of Washington Lake, which was discovered six years ago, originated from fire-fighting foam used by the New York State Air National Guard at Stewart International Airport. The city now gets its water from the Catskill Aqueduct because the lake is subject to ongoing repairs.
“We take samples daily,” said Wayne Vrandenburgh, Newburgh’s water superintendent. “The (chemical) list is going to expand. Obviously, the more contaminants you get out of the water is better. We’re always supportive of cleaner water for our residents.”
