North Salem, NY – New York State Senator Pete Harckham announced today that he has secured $151,000 in state funding for the Town of North Salem to install a perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) filter in the Croton Falls Water District’s Well #4. 

The Croton Falls Water District, located near the Croton River, serves more than 200 residents and relies on two groundwater-under-the-direct-influence-of-surface-water (GWUDI) wells for approximately 90 percent of its water supply. A planned maintenance project of the Delaware Aqueduct by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is expected to put additional strain on the Croton Water System. This will lower the water level of the Croton River, and in turn, reduce the output of the district's primary wells. 

To maintain a reliable water supply during the project, the Town plans to return Well #4 to service. The well was taken offline several years ago after PFAS and other contaminants were detected. With the installation of modern PFAS treatment technology, the well can once again provide safe drinking water while meeting current water quality standards.

“When North Salem raised concerns about PFAS contamination in its drinking water, I made it a priority to secure the resources needed to address the problem,” Harckham said. “This investment will help ensure that residents of the Croton Falls Water District continue to have access to safe, clean drinking water for years to come.”  

North Salem Supervisor Warren Lucas said, “On behalf of the residents of the Croton Falls Water District, I want to thank Senator Harkham for securing $150,000 to help fund our new PFAS treatment system. This grant will help us remove PFAS chemicals from our drinking water while reducing the financial burden on our residents. We are grateful for his partnership and commitment to our community.”

PFAS are a class of several thousand man-made chemicals linked to serious health conditions, including thyroid disease, liver damage, kidney cancer, and other adverse health effects. Often referred to as “forever chemicals,” PFAS do not break down naturally in the environment and can accumulate in the human body over time.

The funding for North Salem was secured through the Community Resiliency, Economic Sustainability, and Technology (CREST) Program which is administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) to support community and economic development initiatives. 

Since taking office in 2019, Senator Harckham has delivered more than $40 million in state grant funding to municipalities and nonprofit organizations throughout the 40th Senate District.