POESTENKILL, N.Y. (NEWS10) – The Poestenkill Town Board will host a public meeting to provide an update on the possible creation of a new water district in the area surrounding the Middle School after PFOAs were previously found at the school during annual testing. The meeting will be held on Thursday, July 21 at 6 p.m., at the Town Hall.
According to officials, PFOA/PFOS (perfluoroalkyl, and polyfluoroalkyl) was initially discovered in January 2021, in drinking wells at Algonquin Middle School and in nearby residential wells. 18-months after the forever chemicals PFOA/PFOS were found in the drinking water of Poestenkill residents, state leaders have still not found a source.
PFOA/PFOS substances are human-made chemicals that are used in cookware, food packaging, firefighting foam, and other products. These chemicals have been linked to cancers, hormonal disruption, low birth weight, and other health problems.
Since January 2021, state officials have tested approximately 90 private wells in Poestenkill, with the overwhelming majority returning results of PFOA/PFOS contamination.
- Nearly 60% of all private wells tested between 2 – 10 ppt
- Nearly 20% of all private wells tested above the NYS limit of 10 ppt
Officials said the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has tested only one potential source of the contamination in town. This site has also returned results of PFOA/PFOS contamination they noted.
