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Important Information About the District’s Drinking Water
Galway Central School District regularly tests drinking water for potential contaminants to ensure that it meets NYS and federal standards. Recently, we were informed that one of our water quality results exceeded a state drinking water standard for chloride. Please note this is not an emergency, and no action is required on your part.
Water quality results from a sample collected on April 15, 2026 from the Middle School Boiler Tank sample point at Galway Central School District measured 399 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of chloride, which exceeds the NYS maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 250 mg/L.
Chloride is commonly found in the environment – most often in the form of rock salt (sodium chloride) or other salts – and is essential for good health. It can become elevated in drinking water from road de-icing salts, inorganic fertilizers, landfill leachates, and industrial wastewater. Treatment of drinking water with chlorine or chloride can also increase the concentration of chloride in water. While exposure to high levels of certain chloride salts is associated with adverse health effects in humans, research has not conclusively demonstrated adverse effects from exposure to chloride itself. For example, high dietary intake of sodium chloride can be a contributing factor to high blood pressure, but this has been attributed mainly to the presence of sodium. The New York State standard for chloride is 250 milligrams per liter and is based on the effects of chloride on the taste, odor, and appearance of the water.
In response to these exceedances, we are required to take several actions including:
Working with the Saratoga County Department of Health to identify suitable water treatment options Continuing to identify the underlying cause or causes Modifying existing treatment processes or installing additional treatment, as practicable, to regain compliance with state standards Collecting additional water samples as needed to better define the extent and nature of the issue Investigating the watershed or aquifer to identify any existing or potential changes that could affect the water supply Submitting a written report to Saratoga County Department of Health within 30-days summarizing the findings of these actions
If you have any questions about the Galway CSD water system, please contact Director of Facilities Christopher Cook at 518-882-1033 or ccook@galwaycsd.org.
For more general information, please reach out to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s drinking water hotline at safewater@epa.gov or the Saratoga County Department of Health at
518-584-7460.
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