MAYVILLE, N.Y. — UPDATE: This story has been updated to include new information from the NYS Department of Health.
It's been almost a week since people living in Mayville down in Chautauqua County, have been under a "do not drink" water advisory because some harmful chemicals were found in the village water supply.
Mayville Mayor Ken Shearer told 2 On Your Side the weeklong water issue could be resolved as soon as Monday, but he added New York State Department of Environmental Conservation involvement is just beginning.
Neither the village, the county, or the state knows where the chemical PFNA came from.
In fact, Mayville only started testing for the contaminate in question, Perfluorononanoic acid, a few weeks ago, Shearer said.
The NYS Health Department later clarified that testing for PFNA (and PFOA/PFOS) in the Village water system has been occurring since 2019, contrary to the Mayor's remarks.
It's listed as an emerging chemical that the state DEC is concerned could cause lasting health problems. Found in carpet and non-stick cookware the chemical is used for stain resistance.
"We're not actually out of compliance because it's not a regulated chemical until 2021, so we're right at the beginning of this," Shearer said.
UPDATE: New MLCs (maximum contaminant levels) were adopted in August for PFOA and PFOS at 10 parts per trillion. PFNA, while an emerging contaminant in drinking water is not currently regulated at the federal or state level but is monitored by New York's Drinking Water Quality Council.
Mayville's three wells registered between 77 and 330 parts per trillion a few weeks ago, hence the order.
Shearer said the state DEC started its search for a source on Wednesday.
"It will be ongoing, I'm sure, for some time before we have some real answers, but they're starting, Shearer said, adding, "they're trying to figure out where it came from, what's the best action to get rid of it, and what the best action is going forward."
Mayville Public Works Superintendent John Buxton told 2 On Your Side the village has taken action and flushed storage tanks and water lines multiple times, in an attempt to clear out the chemical. A newly drilled well should also provide contaminant-free water, he said on a phone call.
For the past week, neighbors have been picking up bottles at the Tops location on South Erie Street and the village office. While the water is not safe to consume (drink or use in cooking), it can be used for bathing and other tasks.
"The residents here are resilient. They've been more than happy to see us handing out water, they're getting through it, and I'm sure we'll all get through this together," Shearer said.
He added that testing in the next couple of days will be crucial. Water samples are sent to a lab in Albany, and results usually come back within 24 and 48 hours Shearer said.
When this problem initially came up, Shearer said the village was told a fix could take between two weeks and three months. Fortunately for everyone in Mayville, the first option appears more likely.
When asked about how the new regulations could impact other villages, towns, and cities across the state, Shearer added.
"I don't know, of course, a crystal ball I don't have, I'm sure we won't be the last. Given that this is going to be a regulated chemical in the coming year I think you'll see more and more of this," Shearer said.