Newburgh Issues State Of Emergency Due To Chemical In Water
NEWBURGH, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- The Orange County city of Newburgh has issued a state of emergency after a dangerous chemical was found in the water.
Officials found perfluorooctane sulfonate, or PFOS, in Silver Stream and Washington Lake, according to a Newburgh city news release. The detected levels are lower than those considered dangerous by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, but the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Health have recommended that Newburgh take action, the release said.
While the Newburgh Water Department reduces or eliminates the compound and the Department of Environmental Conservation searches for the source, water in Newburgh will be drawn from Brown's Pond and the Catskills Aqueduct.
The city also issued a series of water conservation measures.
Under the conservation measures, water will only be given out on request at restaurants. Water will also be restricted for outdoor washing and non-agricultural watering, fountains, swimming pools, ice rinks, exterior cleaning and other non-essential uses.