One test slightly below required level
On April 26, Highland Falls officials were notified that after its Water Department’s February test of Total Organic Compound (TOC) fell one one-hundredth of a percentage point shy of the standard for that compound, the March average of test results was slightly off.
“As part of our Disinfection By-Products Rule we routinely monitor for removal of TOC in our filters,” a letter to village residents said. “The running annual average of test results for March 2021 showed removal levels of TOC of 0.99 (1.0 removal is required). Therefore, our supply is in violation.”
The letter from the Orange County Health Department was dated April 19, Mayor Joe D’Onofrio said. When received on April 26, the first thought was to send out the mandated public notification in water bills that were about to go out. But, he said, they were in the process of being sealed and sent out. So, with the permission of the Health Department, Water Plant Operator Jack Sibley said, the letters notifying the public were mailed out with the June 1 sewer bills.
“At no time was there any health risk to the public,” the mayor said. The letter to the public noted that, underlining that this was not considered a water emergency and there was no need to boil water.
The letter to the public noted: “TOC has no health effects, although it provides a medium for the formation of disinfection by-products. Drinking water containing those by-products may lead to adverse health effects.”
The letter did state that anyone with “severely compromised immune systems, infants and some elderly may be at increased risk” and “should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers”.
Sibley noted that in retesting since February all tests have been “perfectly normal”, at or above the set standards. Trustee Brian Aylward reiterated that at Monday evening’s Town Board meeting, when the topic was brought up by Supervisor Bob Livsey.
The matter was brought up very briefly at the June 7 meeting of the Village Board, when Trustee Melanie Guerrero referred to the village’s water supply as “not potable”. She did not explain the statement at the meeting. D’Onofrio said this week that her use of that phrase was “not only inaccurate, but dangerous”.
Various tests of the village’s water supply are made daily, weekly and monthly, Sibley said, and include testing for bacterias, hardness, alkalinity and turbidity.
The village’s annual water quality reports are available to view at www.highlandfallsny.org. The most recent test is on the front page of the site.
