CITY OF NEWBURGH – For 16 years, Diane Thomas and her husband, Will Hernandez, have used water from the City of Newburgh’s Washington Lake to bathe, brush their teeth and make coffee.
Nearing retirement, they worry that their health may be permanently affected by the contamination that forced the closure of Newburgh’s primary water supply in May.
“This is the last thing we want to be faced with,” said Hernandez, 67.
On Tuesday, they were among 25 people who visited Cornerstone Family Healthcare to have their blood drawn on the first day of a state Department of Health-run testing program for residents of Newburgh and surrounding towns.
Nearly 1,000 people have contacted DOH about being tested for perfluorooctane sulfonate, also known as PFOS, according to the department.
The toxic chemical, whose presence in the city’s water supply has been tied to the use of PFOS-containing firefighting foams at Stewart Air National Guard Base, has been linked to kidney and testicular cancer, low infant birth weight, high cholesterol and other health problems.
The Department of Health is continuing its efforts to make people aware of the testing, said James Plastiras, director of communications for DOH.
“This is a long process, and we are going to be here and make sure that everyone who wants to be tested is tested,” Plastiras said.
The DOH announced the initial seven testing dates two weeks ago. Cornerstone is hosting the program at two of its sites: 147 Lake St. and 290 Broadway.
In addition to the blood draw, those tested are being asked a battery of questions, including ones about their health history and consumption of Newburgh water and local fish.
Results are expected to take at least six weeks. State officials have said the expansive questionnaire could help them understand how long residents have been exposed and the exposure levels for different subgroups.
“So if you don’t get your blood tested, you can still get an idea of your blood levels based on your age and the neighborhood you live in,” Plastiras said.
Vickie Watford and her husband, Bobbie, want to know what's in their blood. Newburgh residents since 1978, they registered with a DOH representative manning a table in the lobby of Cornerstone.
“We’re at that age where we’re susceptible to anything,” said Bobbie, 72.
The program also drew Jurgen Wekerle of Crawford.
Wekerle was not a Newburgh resident but worked in the city for 40 years. At his former workplace, he used tap water for drinking and making coffee and soups. While at lower risk than city residents, the fact that PFOS can take years to leave the body spurred Wekerle to get tested.
“You’re always concerned because the chemical doesn’t go away,” he said.
lsparks@th-record.com