Newburgh mayor says water is safe to drink

Some Newburgh residents say they are not willing to accept the mayor's claim that the water there is safe to drink. Mayor Judy Kennedy released a report from the Department of Environmental Conservation

News 12 Staff

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May 10, 2016, 6:14 AM

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Updated 3,300 days ago

Some Newburgh residents say they are not willing to accept the mayor's claim that the water there is safe to drink.

Mayor Judy Kennedy released a report from the Department of Environmental Conservation Monday that states water samples are below contaminated levels.

Last week, a chemical known as PFOS was found in the city's water supply at Lake Washington.

Mayor Kennedy says PFOS was first detected in a drinking water sample in 2013.

Last week, city manager Michael Ciaravino declared a state of emergency, saying the residents' safety is a top priority. He later rescinded his decision

Although there has been no harm to the public, leaders made the decision to pump water from Browns Pond in New Windsor.

City leaders say the state will help them investigate where the source of contamination is coming from.

Both the mayor and city manager say the water is safe to use and drink.

Residents say they will continue to use bottled water because the health risks still remain unclear.