A Rensselaer County community is awaiting further testing to determine if a chemical found in its water supply poses a threat to health and safety.
Taconic Plastics began distributing bottled water to residents in Petersburgh this week after the chemical PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid, was found in a well used by the town water district.
Town Supervisor Peter Schaaphok said the results from a test by the state Department of Health showed PFOA levels at 95 parts per trillion, just shy of the state’s 100 ppt threshold.
“It’s borderline whether we were going to require something or not. And my suspicion is that we are going to require some remedial action and I’m hoping that the state is here to support us on that,” said Schaaphok.
Petersburgh is awaiting further test results. Residents of nearby Hoosick Falls are grappling with the same contaminant.
