98 claims filed against New Windsor, NY over tainted water

By Michael Randall | Times-Herald Record | July 23, 2019

Read the full article by Michael Randall (Times-Herald Record)

“NEW WINDSOR – Ninety-eight notices of claim have been filed against the town, seeking damages in the wake of the disclosure that its water contained PFOS and PFOA.

The state Health Department told the town in April that low levels of the two chemicals were found in April in the Butterhill Park wells. The town publicly disclosed that fact a month later.

PFOS and PFOA are associated with kidney and testicular cancer, ulcerative colitis, low infant birth weight, and high cholesterol, among other health problems.

The chemicals, used in the manufacture of firefighting foam, are believed to have come from the Stewart Air National Guard base.

The claimants say they are seeking reimbursement for personal injuries, including hospital and other past and future medical expenses, pain and suffering and other damages they experienced or will experience due to the town’s negligence, recklessness and carelessness.

At least 10 of the claims were filed by adults on behalf of minor children.

A notice of claim is a legally required prelude when suing a municipality. If the town does not pay or settle the claim within 90 days of being served, a lawsuit could follow…

The town began drawing from the wells in Butterhill Park just last year. The wells were shut down in late May, after the town reactivated its Riley Road water treatment plant and switched back to its former primary supply, the Catskill Aqueduct.

However, the state is paying for a temporary filtration system at the Butterhill treatment plant. It is hoped that will be ready when the aqueduct shuts down for 10 or 12 weeks for repairs on Oct. 7.

Butterhill, along with the town’s Kroll well and water from the Town of Newburgh, will be used while the aqueduct is closed.”

This content provided by the PFAS Project.