A ninth round of sampling of properties in Poestenkill for PFOA has been concluded, with no properties found to have levels of PFOA above the state-permitted levels, county officials announced on Monday.
The results were finalized last week and prepared for public release. The ninth round of testing results follows an eighth round in January in which one new property was found to be above the MCL.
Six properties were sampled during the ninth round of testing. Samples were taken from Weatherwax Road and Route 351 area.
The six properties surveyed registered samples that show five non-detections and one detection of PFOA/PFOS below the state maximum contaminant level standards for public drinking water.
With the conclusion of the ninth round of testing, a source for the contamination has still not been discovered. The county and state have been investigating the possibility of multiple, unrelated sources for the contamination.
The town is also continuing work to develop a public water district in Poestenkill to cover areas affected by the PFOA situation.
“Following nine rounds of testing, there has still been no source of the contamination in Poestenkill determined. We continue to work with the state to find the source or sources for the PFOA contamination and to get more answers,” said county Public Health Director Mary Fran Wachunas.
- Testing started after PFOA/PFOS was discovered during state-mandated testing for PFOA/PFOS at Algonquin Middle School early last year.
- The county has to date collected samples for 95 private wells, with 14 wells tested at or above the drinking water standard of 10 ppt for either PFOA/PFOS.
- The 14 wells that have been found to have detections of PFOA and/or PFOS above half of the drinking water standards will likely be resampled at some time in the future.
- No source for the contamination has been determined during the eight rounds of testing.
- The lack of a source has restricted the ability for wide-spread testing.
- Town officials have been informed, along with state Department of Environmental Conservation and the state Department of Health.
“Residents should know the county continues to work cooperatively with the state and the town to provide an effective response to this issue. Residents can call our office at 518-270-2632 if they have additional questions,” added Wachunas.