Volunteers, officials helping New Paltz with fresh water supplies as advisory continues

Communities and volunteers statewide are coming together to help make sure everyone has clean water to drink after New Paltz's drinking water was contaminated.

News 12 Staff

Feb 13, 2020, 10:34 PM

Updated 1,777 days ago

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Communities and volunteers statewide are coming together to help make sure everyone has clean water to drink after New Paltz's drinking water was contaminated.
The village and town of New Paltz are on day four of a drinking water advisory. The village is now supplying clean drinking water for residents.
Various groups are pitching in to help. Volunteers from the Red Cross are giving out water bottles to anyone who needs them. The state, Ulster County and the Village of New Paltz have brought in a few 6,000-gallon tankers of fresh water so residents can fill up their own water bottles.
Sophia Field works at Karma Road and has been filling up bottles at the tanker and bringing them back to her restaurant.
"We are only using bottled water, we are not serving any tap water to anyone, so it's totally safe to come down and eat. And most of the restaurants in town are doing the same thing," says Field.
Village Mayor Tim Rogers says the first notice not to drink water was pushed out Monday morning and authorities discovered there was a leak in a fuel line near the water supply.
Health Department officials say residents can safely shower and use the water, but should not consume it.
Officials are currently working to flush the system. Rogers expects the advisory to be lifted by the end of the week.
Classes at SUNY New Paltz are expected to resume next week.