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The Village of Hoosick Falls is actively exploring options for a new water source following years of contamination concerns. The village's current water supply comes from a well located near the Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics facility on McCaffrey Street, which has been found to contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS). These chemicals, part of the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) group, have been linked to severe health issues, including cancer.
The contamination was first identified in 2015, when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advised residents not to drink or cook with the water due to high levels of PFOA. Since then, efforts have been made to address the contamination. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the EPA have been working together to investigate and clean up the site. A granulated activated carbon filtration system was installed on the village's water supply wells in 2016 to treat the water. Additionally, individual treatment systems have been placed on over 800 private wells to ensure safe drinking water for residents.
The Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics site was added to the Superfund National Priorities List in 2017, highlighting the need for long-term cleanup. The NYSDEC is leading the investigation and cleanup efforts, with a comprehensive study underway to determine the extent of the contamination and explore feasible cleanup options. A special meeting will be held at 6 p.m. tonight (March 31) at the Hoosick Armory to discuss potential new water sources for the village.