CURRENT STATS

DOH regulates the operation, design, and quality of public drinking water supplies
in New York. DOH coordinates with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Rensselaer County Department of Health (RCDOH) on actions to address potential exposures to contaminants in drinking water. DOH has responsibility to set standards for contaminants in public drinking water, including Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and other Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)compounds.  DOH uses drinking water standards, called Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), as guidance when evaluating sampling data from private wells and making recommendations to reduce exposure. DOH coordinates with DEC and the RCDOH on private well testing in the Poestenkill Assessment Area and assists the RCDOH with sample collection. If an exceedance of drinking water standards is detected, DOH directs DEC to provide an alternate water supply, typically in the form of a filtration system or bottled water at no charge to the property owner.
 

The RCDOH regulates the operation, design, and quality of public drinking water supplies in Rensselaer County. The RCDOH coordinates with DOH and DEC on the sampling of private wells in the Poestenkill Assessment Area. RCDOH and DOH personnel collect samples and send them to a contract laboratory for PFAS testing, which usually takes three to four weeks. This information is shared with DOH and DEC and informs where additional sampling may be warranted. The RCDOH communicates testing results and information related to private well testing to the community. In some cases, DEC might perform the testing if it is related to a site already under investigation for other contaminants.

Once contamination is found, DEC is the lead agency tasked with finding likely source(s) of PFAS in the community using data gathered from private well testing, surface water and soil sampling, as well as data from groundwater monitoring wells. Where the New York State DOH recommends DEC’s assistance to prevent public exposure to contamination levels that exceed State standards in the private drinking water well, and mitigation is requested by the owner, DEC can provide a filtration system or bottled water at no charge. If a source (or sources) of pollution that contributes to drinking water contamination is found in the community, DEC works with DOH to develop a plan to investigate the nature and extent of the contamination and takes appropriate action to protect public health and the environment.

The town assists RCDOH in identifying homes selected for testing and is briefed on a regular basis by the above agencies. The town also assists homeowners who wish to pay for their own tests.