Dover schools’ water system found to be contaminated

DOVER PLAINS — In coordination with the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH), the New York State Department of Health (DOH) issued “Do Not Drink” advisories for Dover Middle School and High School on Wednesday, March 17, after contaminants were detected in the schools’ water systems.

The DOH issued a press release that was posted on the Dover Union Free School District website at www.doverschools.org. The advisories were issued in response to the discovery of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in the schools’ water systems during a standard system check. The contaminants were detected at levels above New York’s Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) of 10 parts per trillion each for PFOA and PFOS. Additionally, elevated levels of a similar, unregulated contaminant called perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) were detected during the check.

According to state officials, the DOH issued state regulations in 2020 that set MCLs for PFOA and PFOS; PFHxA doesn’t have an MCL. 

The MCLs process requires water systems of all sizes to test for contaminants that are all regulated. If the test finds a contaminant exceeds the MCL, the consumer must be notified so a process can be set up to bring the water system back into compliance, though how that’s done varies with each system.

Under the umbrella of man-made chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), PFOA, PFOS and PFHxA can be found in a variety of consumer products, including cleaning products, food packaging, stain repellents and cookware. 

According to the DOH, the available information on how those chemicals impact one’s health is mostly based on studies done on high-exposure in animals, and “less is known about the chances of health effects occurring from lower levels of exposure, such as from drinking the schools’ water.”

Because the contaminant can stay both in the environment and in the human body for long periods of time, the American Cancer Society website, www.cancer.org, said PFOA has the potential to be a health concern. 

Though “studies have found that it is present worldwide at very low levels in just about everyone’s blood,” the website said higher blood levels have been found in residents where local water supplies have been contaminated by PFOA. 

While the state’s MCLs for PFOA and PFOS are protective against these health effects, the DOH warns it’s prudent to take interim “Do Not Drink” measures to reduce exposure when levels rise above the MCLs.

“This is an example of the MCL process working as designed,” said DOH Spokesperson Gary Holmes. “It requires water systems of all sizes to test for this compound using very protected levels, notify the consumer if there’s an exceedance and work on a long-term plan to bring the system back into compliance. All these efforts are well underway.”

As told by state officials, the presence of all three chemicals in the Dover schools’ water systems is an indicator that a closer look must be taken at the water supply to determine what steps are needed to bring the system back into compliance. 

As part of the “Do Not Drink” advisory, Dover Middle and High School have been told to stop using the water for drinking, cooking and preparing food. The water can be used for hand washing and certain cleaning (such as washing dishes). 

The state has been coordinating with Dutchess County and the Dover school district to provide bottled water.

Dover Superintendent of Schools Michael Tierney explained that, because of COVID-19, the district had already turned off its water fountains, substituting bottled water and installing a filling station for water bottles. He said the district has been cooking with bottled water and is working with the DOH to secure more water.

While the school district is working closely with the DBCH and state agencies to collect additional water samples and discuss long-term solutions for improving its water quality, the DOH is working with the  state’s Department of Environmental Conservation to identify and address potential sources of contamination.