NEWBURGH, N.Y. -- Newburgh's city manager declared a state of emergency on Monday after officials discovered what he calls troubling levels of a contaminant in the city's drinking water source.
"What we have done is divert the water that we draw upon for our freshwater needs in the community from Lake Washington to Brown's Pond and the Catskills Aqueduct," explained City Manager Michael Ciaravino.
High levels of the pollutant known as PFOS were found in Silver Stream and Washington Lake, from where residents get their drinking water.
While the levels found are below the federal cutoff levels right now, Ciaravino says the EPA will soon be lowering that cutoff -- and Newburgh's levels won't pass.
PFOS is used in firefighting foams and cleaning products among other things. The EPA calls it an emerging contaminant of concern.
City officials spent the weekend testing the water and putting the diversion plan into place, a measure the water superintendent agrees was necessary.
While we were speaking with Ciaravino, Newburgh Mayor Judy Kennedy arrived, clearly upset over the declaration of a state of emergency. She says that's premature and could cause unnecessary panic.
"What I want people to understand is we are below the advised levels by 60 points," said Kennedy. "They're working to find out how we can divert and what we can do to take care of this problem on a long-term basis. What I don't want people to do is go into a panic over this."
Citing Flint, Mich., and, more locally, Hoosick Falls -- both of which went through their own water crises -- Ciaravino says he couldn't in good conscience keep the public uninformed. He says as a city employee, it's his job to ensure the safety of its residents.
"If I have the ability to reduce those numbers to zero immediately, then I think I would be remiss in that duty if I did not do so otherwise," he said.
Kennedy says she's been in talks with the governor's office, Department of Health and the EPA to come up with a more long-term solution to this problem.
In the meantime, she says any residents who are concerned should buy bottled water.