'Do Not Drink' Water Advisories At 2 Westchester Schools

NORTH SALEM, NY — The New York State Department of Health and the Westchester County Health Department on Wednesday ordered “do not drink” water advisories at Pequenakonck Elementary School in North Salem and Meadow Pond Elementary in South Salem.

The advisories, "issued out of an abundance of caution," direct the schools to stop using water for drinking, cooking and food preparation. Bottled water is being provided at both locations. The water is still safe for hand-washing, cleaning and washing dishes, officials said.

The advisories were issued after the discovery of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in the schools’ water systems at levels above state standards.

“High dose studies in animals indicate that PFOA and PFOS can cause a wide range of health effects with the most consistent findings being effects on the liver and immune system and impaired fetal growth and development,” state officials said in a statement. “The United States Environmental Protection Agency considers PFOA and PFOS as having suggestive evidence for causing cancer based on studies of animals exposed to high levels of this chemical over their lifetimes. The New York State Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL) for these chemicals are highly protective against these health effects, but at levels well above the MCLs it is prudent to take interim 'Do Not Drink' measures to reduce exposure at these schools.”

The school districts involved are working with the Westchester County Health Department and state agencies to collect more samples and plan long-term solutions to improve the water quality, according to state regulators. The State Departments of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Health (DOH) are currently working to identify and mitigate any possible sources of contamination.