Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, or PFOS, is part of a broader category of toxic “forever chemicals” that have been linked to cancer, liver disease, birth defects, and more health issues across the country. Annual testing of the water system in Woodstock showed no PFOS in 2021, but in fall 2023, testing showed levels jumped to 3.48 parts per trillion at one of its pumphouses.
The test results were a hot topic at the town board’s latest meeting, where residents like Stephanie Kaplan criticized local lawmakers for not sounding the alarm.
“Is it safe even if we filter our drinking water? Can we brush our teeth? Is it safe to cook with our water? Is it safe to shower with our water?" asked Kaplan. "You guys are not stepping up, coming forward, and doing what you have to do to protect us, which is what your job is.”
The Woodstock Water District serves roughly 2,500 people through 750 hookups. New York’s maximum contaminant level for PFOS is 10 parts per trillion, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lowered its standard to 4 parts per trillion in April.
At the meeting, McKenna said the town recently re-tested the well in question to determine whether the November sample was part of a trend or just a “one-time blip.” McKenna wonders whether any “blip” could have been caused by a testing error or the installation of a new pump and pipes in 2021, but he says it will likely take a couple more weeks to get the results.
“Even if it comes back zero, my recommendation is that in four to six months — we’re gonna step up the testing, because we want to be sure," he adds.
McKenna wouldn’t specify how often the town might increase its testing. In the meantime, the advice for residents appears to be to wait and see. McKenna maintains the levels fall under state and federal standards, and that by waiting for more info, he is following the advice of state and county officials, as well as local environmental engineers. He doesn’t recommend that residents begin testing their water until they know more, as he says tests can be expensive.
Multiple residents at the meeting worried the spike could be tied to an illegal dump in the nearby hamlet of Shady. Last year, neighbors of 10 Church Road sued the town of Woodstock to force the cleanup of contaminated dirt and other materials that were dumped on the site beginning in 2019. Saugerties contractor Joseph Karolys, as well as the property’s owner, have been fined. Karolys, who is currently in jail on unrelated charges including manslaughter, recently received an $8 million fine from the state for violating pollution laws at three properties in Saugerties.
Asked whether he thought there could be any connection to the Shady dump, McKenna's answer was brief: "None whatsoever."
"One of the things I would point out is that the well fields closer to Shady, the [PFOS levels] were ‘undetectable,'" he adds.
Councilperson Bennet Ratcliff disagrees. He says the town should further probe the Shady dump, and be more transparent about its water testing plans. Ratcliff was one of two members of the town board who refused to approve a list of vouchers at its latest meeting, including a payment for the water testing company Environmental Lab Works. Ratcliff tells WAMC he voted no because he asked if the lab voucher included increased PFOS testing, and McKenna said he didn’t know.
“People are scared. And they need to know what is the testing schedule going to be, exactly when will we find out when the water is or is not safe enough for pregnant women and children to drink, people who have serious illnesses," says Ratcliff. "These are all people in town who are concerned about what is in their water, and whether they should be drinking it.”
McKenna described Ratcliff’s “no” vote as a “shameless” political move; the pair competed in a fierce election in November. McKenna says the vouchers were approved during a special meeting the next day.
