MAYVILLE, N.Y. — A "Do Not Drink" Water Advisory has been issued for residents of the Village of Mayville in Chautauqua County.
Until further notice, residents should not use the water for drinking, cooking, food preparation, brushing your teeth, or for animal consumption.
Officials say the advisory is being issued out of an abundance of caution after sample results from the village's three wells detected the presence of the chemical perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA).
Since there is only a limited amount of health data on this newly emerging contaminant, and it is currently not monitored or regulated at the state or federal levels, officials took the step to issue the advisory.
The Chautauqua County Health Department will hold a Town Hall on Friday from 9 to 10 a.m. with County Executive PJ Wendel, representatives from the New York State Department of Health, and Department of Environmental Conservation and others.
The meeting can be viewed online. Questions may be submitted by email prior to the meeting and in the comments box of the Facebook live video.
In the interim, officials say water will be made available to residents for pick-up at the Town of Chautauqua DPW Garage at 50 Patterson Street in Mayville:
- Thursday, December 10; 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
- Friday, December 11; 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
- Saturday, December 12; 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Please note the following:
- Any persons in Isolation or Quarantine for COVID-19 should NOT leave their homes to pick up water. If there is no one available to bring water to you, please call the Health Department at 716-753-4491.
- All COVID-19 precautions will be taken at distribution including masking and social distancing.
- Residents must stay in their vehicles.
- Water will be limited to one (1) case per household per day.
- Those unable to pick-up water should call John Buxton with the Village of Mayville at 716-269-4801 to make alternate arrangements.
- Future water distribution dates and sites are being planned.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and New York State Health Department (NYSDOH) are both investigating the source of the contamination and what can be done to mitigate it. However, that process is expected to take months or more to determine.
