About 1 of every 4 samples were above federal guidelines

-by Bethany Bump, originally posted on June 11, 2016

Petersburgh

Water samples tested from three private wells and 59 private homes in Petersburgh came back above federal guidelines for PFOA contamination, Rensselaer County officials said Friday.

The county, with the state Health Department and Department of Environmental Conservation, has sampled public and private supplies in the area around the Taconic plastics plant due to concerns over perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, in the water. The latest results came from samples taken from May 4-9.

Out of 18 samples from private wells:

Three showed contamination above the federal guidance level of 70 parts per trillion;

One showed contamination between 21 and 70 ppt; 14 were considered non-detectable, meaning contamination levels were less than 0.67 ppt.

Out of 234 samples taken at private homes, 59 showed contamination above the federal level:

44 samples were between 71 and 1,000 ppt;

15 samples were over 1,001 ppt.

Another 46 samples showed contamination below 20 ppt; 26 samples showed contamination between 21 and 70 ppt; and 103 samples were non-detectable.

For some of the homes, a test had been taken before a water treatment system was installed and then afterward, in order to see whether the system worked.

The testing was performed by Pace Analytical through Bender Labs. Results from 79 samples are still pending.

Those with private water sources with PFOA contamination over 70 ppt can have a filter system installed at their home by Taconic.

Water testing will continue and results will be released as they become available, the county said. Anyone with questions should contact the county health department at 270-2655.