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Study: Toxic chemical found in NY drinking water

A new Harvard study found that millions of Americans are drinking water tainted by toxins, and New Yorkers made the list. Around 6 million Americans are using drinking water contaminated with PFAS

News 12 Staff

Aug 10, 2016, 6:30 AM

Updated 3,055 days ago

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A new Harvard study found that millions of Americans are drinking water tainted by toxins, and New Yorkers made the list.
Around 6 million Americans are using drinking water contaminated with PFAS pollutants -- cancer-causing chemicals found in a range of products like carpet cleaner and pots and pans.
According to researchers, the contamination is most likely near industrial sites, military and fire training areas and wastewater treatment plants.
The study's author, Cindy Hu, says drinking water in 13 states -- including New York -- accounted for 75 percent of the detections.
Long Island environmentalist Adrienne Esposito says the toxins had already been detected on the Island south of Gabreski Airport.
"The DEC and the Suffolk Health Department have already located the chemical in about seven private wells in Southampton town," Esposito says. "We don't know if this is going to be an isolated incident, or if this problem will be expanded island wide."
Esposito says PFAS pollutants are on the EPA's list of chemicals to be watched -- because they don't biodegrade and can travel in groundwater.