New York To Set Limits For Industrial Chemicals In Water

ALBANY – New York’s health department will set the nation’s lowest allowable level for industrial chemicals that have contaminated some communities’ drinking water.

The agency reported Monday that Health Commissioner Howard Zucker has accepted the New York State Drinking Water Quality Council’s recommendations for limits of 10 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water. The Environmental Protection Agency’s guidance level is 70 parts per trillion.

PFOA was used in non-stick coatings and PFOS was used in fire-fighting foam. The state has spent millions of dollars to remove the chemicals from water in several communities.

The agency will set a limit of 1 part per billion for 1.4-dioxane, a chemical used in solvents, greases and wax.

Public water systems will have to test for the chemicals when the regulations are finalized.