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Interim health commissioner says water is safe
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Geologists identify landscape as vulnerable to contamination spread
By JOHN McINTYRE, MEREDITH SAVITT & MICHAEL HALLISEY
ALBANY — Albany County Department of Health officials described two distinct investigations—one concerning private wells near a New Scotland farm field and another examining the presence of an algae bloom in the Vly Creek Reservoir—and said they did not draw a connection between the two after their timelines converged last October.
Officials stress that no evidence suggests Bethlehem’s drinking water is unsafe.
The county’s environmental health director, Maxwell Ferris, explained that the department’s investigation into private wells was prompted by residents’ complaints about brown, foul-smelling water near a field where biosolids had been applied. Well water samples gathered from private wells from New Scotland residents confirmed the presence of E. coli and total coliform bacteria, which the department attributed to possible well-casing failures or agricultural runoff.
Ferris noted that the county’s role was limited to bacterial testing, and it did not analyze the biosolids themselves for chemical contaminants, adding that the analysis of biosolid applications falls under the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s oversight and relies on manufacturer-submitted data.
Biosolid applications are increasingly scrutinized in Albany County, particularly in New Scotland, where local officials and residents have voiced skepticism over the long-term impacts of spreading treated sewage sludge on farmland. Town Supervisor Doug LaGrange previously noted that while farmers had used manure as fertilizer for decades, biosolids introduced an additional layer of concern due to their potential to contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and other contaminants. He supported an Albany County 90-day moratorium on biosolid use that went into effect on January 27, while further research and regulatory review were conducted.
Maribeth Miller, Albany County’s interim health commissioner, said her agency received water test results from Bethlehem showing PFAS detections in the reservoir, but those findings were separate from the well contamination study. She noted that while PFAS compounds were detected in the town’s water supply, levels remained well below the state’s maximum contaminant limit of 50,000 parts per trillion (ppt), with Bethlehem’s results measuring 2.83 ppt.
Ferris acknowledged that residents have raised concerns about potential connections between the well contamination and reservoir PFAS detections but underlined that “correlation is not causation.”
“These compounds are ubiquitous. They are in your clothing, they’re in your carpets, they’re in your frying pan, so it’s not unreasonable to identify low-level concentrations of these compounds in drinking water samples,” Ferris said, reiterating that similar detections occur statewide.
Health department representatives stated that they followed established protocols in assessing both situations and that no evidence emerged to justify linking the two.
However, concerns remain about spreading biosolids over limestone rock formations beneath farm fields, known as karst. In New Scotland, the material was applied over the region’s karst geology, which the U.S. Geological Survey has warned could increase the risk of contaminant spread.
A 2020 statewide assessment of karst aquifers in New York found that closed depressions and underground fractures in karst terrain can allow contaminants to move rapidly between surface and groundwater systems with little natural filtration.
“Some of the worst cases of groundwater contamination are in carbonates with only minor karst features,” the report noted, emphasizing that even small-scale karst development can contribute to rapid contaminant transport.
Despite acknowledging community concerns, the county did not extend testing beyond the initial group of wells adjacent to the farm field, even though contamination had been detected at depths of up to 320 feet.
The county also did not evaluate underground geology, including the area’s karst limestone formations, which experts say can allow contaminants to travel unpredictably. The 2020 USGS report specifically highlighted the risks of focused recharge in karst regions, stating that surface contaminants, including agricultural runoff, septic effluent, and industrial chemicals, can infiltrate rapidly and travel significant distances through underground fractures.
“We focused on wells directly around the field,” Ferris said when asked why deeper wells downhill had not been tested. He added that the health department does not specialize in hydrogeology and was not previously informed of historical contamination issues in the area.
Lack of biosolid testing
Health officials said they were not provided with independent biosolid testing data during their investigation that an applicant would need to provide to DEC to receive a permit to use biosolids. According to health officials, the applicator did have a valid permit.
Critics of spreading have long questioned the lack of independent biosolid testing. Environmental groups and some local officials argue that reliance on manufacturer-reported data leaves gaps in oversight. Supervisor LaGrange previously expressed frustration, stating that “new science” suggests biosolids could contribute to long-term soil and water contamination, but regulations still rely on outdated assessments.
Since McCoy issued the 90-day moratorium on biosolid applications, Miller said the county is working with DEC to determine the next steps, but indicated the health department’s role would remain limited.
Bethlehem officials have expressed alarm that they were not notified of the well contaminations. In a statement released Tuesday, Town Supervisor David VanLuven said he’s asked the state DEC for more information, including if any more biosolids used within the watershed that feeds into the reservoir.
Miller said the county health department remains open to collaboration with municipal leaders should new findings warrant further action.
Asked if the county health department had any concerns about Bethlehem’s water quality, Miller responded that no regulatory thresholds had been exceeded and no specific health risks had been identified. She added that testing conducted by the county showed no indication of a public health concern related to Bethlehem’s drinking water supply.
“The results are being sent to us, and at any point in time, if there was something of concern, we would respond, we would react, we would do what we need to do to make sure the residents are safe,” she said. “We are not aware of any concerns [or] issues whatsoever of the drinking water in any of our areas in Albany County.”
This is the fourth of a multi-part series after a two-month Spotlight News investigation into drinking water contamination in the area.
