The following statement was released by the New York State Department of Health, Onondaga County Health Department and City of Syracuse Department of Water:
Following the reports of algal blooms on Skaneateles Lake, the New York State Department of Health, Onondaga County Health and the City of Syracuse Department of Water worked collaboratively to collect samples to determine whether there were levels of algal toxin that could impact the municipalities that use Skaneateles Lake as a public drinking water supply.
Samples tested at the state’s Wadsworth Lab in Albany returned results late today of .26 parts per billion in the finished water sample from the Village of Skaneateles. The results are below the EPA’s 10 day health advisory level of .30 parts per billion for sensitive populations, so residents can continue to drink the water while ongoing sampling continues.
After receiving today’s results, the Department of Health, County and City immediately conducted expanded, confirmatory sampling throughout the distribution system and increased chlorine levels in the water system in to help decrease toxin levels. Results from the expanded sampling effort will be available Wednesday and officials from the New York State Department of Health will be in Onondaga County to help interpret results and discuss next steps for treatment as needed.
In response to this information the Skaneateles Central School District released the following information from Superintendent Ken Slentz:
As many of you may have read or heard about this morning, levels of toxins from the algae bloom in Skaneateles Lake have registered in the drinking water for the village and, seemingly, for the school. As noted in the statement below, the levels are within the acceptable range established by the department of health. That said, the Department of Health will be conducting tests on our water today and until we receive definitive results, we are shutting down our drinking fountains and will be supplying bottled water to each of our buildings.
We will continue to update you with information as we receive it.
