Water Emergency Declared, Recinded in the City Of Newburgh

NEWBURGH – Newburgh City Manager Michael G. Ciaravino, exercised the authority given him under Section 24 of the New York State Executive Law, to preserve the public safety and hereby render all required and available assistance vital to the security, well-being, and health of our citizens of the City of Newburgh on Monday.

A State of Emergency was declared in the City of Newburgh effective immediately on May 2, 2016, until further notice and may be rescinded or amended by subsequent order. This State of Emergency has been declared due to the discovery of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) in Silver Stream and Washington Lake, posing a potential threat to public health and safety. PFOS has been identified by EPA as an emerging contaminant of concern. Although the detected levels of PFOS, as sampled and analyzed by the New York State Department of Conservation (NYSDEC), are below the levels recommended in the provisional health advisory published by EPA in 2009, the NYSDEC and Department of Health (DOH) are recommending that steps be taken to reduce or eliminate the compound from our water system. It is expected that EPA will soon be reducing the recommended maximum levels of PFOS in drinking water to levels below those found in our water system.

Mayor Judy Kennedy said, “According to the State Department of Health, the City’s water supply, which comes from Washington Lake,  has never had PFOS contaminate levels above the recommended limits of 200 parts per trillion. The measure has been at 140 parts per trillion.   To be on safe side, the City water supply has been switched to Brown’s Pond which has no PFOS contamination. However, that change necessitates water conservation recommendations since Brown’s Pond is a smaller body of water.”

On Tuesday Ciaravino, rescinded, effective immediately, the declaration of the state of emergency issued by him on May 2. He stated, “The State of Emergency was declared due to the discovery of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) in Silver Stream and Washington Lake, posing a potential threat to public health and safety. However, with extraordinary efficiency and hard work, our Water Department, Engineering Staff and Department of Public Works Staff have successfully started up the pump station at Brown’s Pond, opened the tap to the Catskill Aqueduct and turned off our supply from Washington Lake. I now believe that our water is safe to drink while we work on the longer term issue of finding a permanent solution to the problem”

While the Water Department implements emergency measures to reduce and/or eliminate the compound and DEC tracks and shuts down the source, Ciaravino has ordered that use of water from Lake Washington as our source of drinking water be discontinued until further notice. In the interim, the City of Newburgh’s water supply will be drawn from Brown’s Pond and the Catskills Aqueduct until further notice.

Ciaravino has further direct that Stage III water conservation measures, under authority of section 293-32 (Chapter 293) of the City Code, will be in place on an emergency basis.

The Water Superintendent has published restrictions on water use as follows:
1. The serving of water at a food service establishment, except at the specific request of a patron.
2. The use of water for washing of paved surfaces, including but not limited to streets, roads, sidewalks, driveways, garages, parking areas, tennis courts and patios.
3. The use of water for nonagricultural irrigation and watering of lawns, flower gardens, landscaped areas, trees, shrubs or other outdoor plants.
4. The use of water for ornamental purposes, including but not limited to fountains, artificial waterfalls and reflecting pools.
5. The use of water for noncommercial washing or cleaning of automobiles, trucks, trailers or any other vehicle.
6. The use of water from a fire hydrant, except for fire-fighting or public health protection.
7. The use of water for flushing of sewers or hydrants, except as deemed necessary for public health and safety.
8. The use of water for watering or sprinkling any portion of a golf course, except for greens.
9. The use of water or steam for the cleaning of buildings or any other structures’ exteriors.
10. The use of water for the operation of ice-skating rinks.
11. The use of water for the commercial washing or cleaning of automobiles, trucks, trailers or any other vehicle by facilities which do not recycle water.
12. The use of water for the filling or the operation of a swimming pool, partly artificial swimming pool, bathing beach or any swimming facility under permit pursuant to Part 6 of the New York State Sanitary Code, which is not open to the general public.
13. The use of water in a residence in excess of 50 gallons per resident per day.
14. The use of water in a commercial or industrial facility in excess of 75% of said user’s average daily consumption for the immediately preceding 12 months.
15. When the immediately preceding 12 months’ daily average consumption for said water is not available, the average daily water consumption of said user for the 90 days immediately preceding the declaration of Stage II emergency shall be used.
16. The use of water for residential agricultural purposes and golf course greens.
17. The use of water for the filling or operation of a swimming pool, partly artificial swimming pool, bathing beach or any swimming facility under permit pursuant to Part 6 of the New York State Sanitary Code. This prohibition shall include but not be limited to the use of water for the filling or the operation of any swimming facility under the control of any governmental subdivision.

Ciaravino directed all departments and agencies of the City of Newburgh to take whatever steps necessary to protect life and property, public infrastructure, and provide such emergency assistance as deemed necessary to this emergency.