Important Information About the District’s Drinking Water

We regularly test drinking water for potential contaminants to ensure that it meets New York State (NYS) and federal standards. Recently, one of our water quality results exceeded a state drinking water standard. This is not an emergency, and no action is required on your part,- but you have a right to know what happened and what we are doing to correct it. Water quality results from a sample collected on July 23, 2026 from the entry point sample point at the Galway Central School District exceeded the NYS maximum contaminant level (MCL) for chloride. The measurement of chloride was 606 milligrams per liter (mg/l), exceeding the MCL of 250 mg/l. In response to this exceedance, we are working with the Saratoga County Department of Health to identify suitable water treatment options.

Health Effects
Chloride is commonly found in the environment, most often in the form of rock salt (sodium chloride) or other salts. It can also be present in the environment as a result of human activity. For example, chloride can become elevated in drinking water from releases to the environment of 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. Chloride is essential for good health. While exposure to high levels of certain chloride salts is associated with adverse health effects in humans, research has not conclusively demonstrated adverse effects in humans 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 mainly attributed 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.

If you have any questions about the water system, please contact Chris Cook at 518-882-1033, or ccook@galwaycsd.org. For more general information, you can reach out to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s drinking water hotline at safewater@epa.gov or Saratoga County Department of Health at 518-584-7460.