Averill Park CSD Families,
In January, we notified the community that Algonquin Middle School (AMS) had elevated levels of PFOA, which resulted in water fountains being shut down and students and staff members using bottled water for drinking, food preparation, and dishwashing.
New York State regulations mandate that the District test all buildings with well-sourced water for the chemicals PFOA, PFOS and 1,4-Dioxane on a quarterly basis using an independent certified laboratory.
Since learning of these test results, the District has worked closely with Rensselaer County, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) and the Town of Poestenkill in developing a plan for providing safe water for our students, staff and community. Mosaic Associates, the District’s architect and engineering firm, worked in conjunction with the Rensselaer County Department of Health and NYSED to determine that a PFOA-specific water filtration system was the most efficient and effective option for addressing the conditions at this time.
The PFOA filtration system plan has been approved by both the Rensselaer County DOH and NYSED, and the District has engaged a contractor who has already commenced work on this project.
We will continue to keep the community informed about this situation as it progresses.