WINGDALE – The Dutchess County Water and Wastewater Authority has issued a notice that the Schreiber public water system levels of radiological contaminants, including radium and gross alpha activity, exceeded the state’s maximum levels.
The running annual average for total radium is 16.7 when the state’s maximum safe contaminate level is 5 pCi/l.
For Gross Alpha contaminants, the running annual average is 27.95, when the acceptable level should not exceed 15.
The Dutchess County Water and Wastewater Authority has hired H2M Architects Engineers to produce an engineering report to evaluate the Schreiber groundwater supply due the levels of gross alpha, combined radium, sulfate and iron above the state maximum contaminant levels.
In August, the authority received the final engineering report and is currently reviewing the feasibility of engineers’ recommendations and how to proceed to address the issues of water quality and low well yield.
Preventative measures customers may choose to reduce exposure include using bottled water, installing a home water softening system that includes ion exchange, and using a reserve osmosis treatment process to assist in reducing radium levels.
The authority noted that some people who drink water containing radium 226 or 228 more than the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
