Veolia Notifies Rockland County Customers After Two Wells Top New York's 10 ppt Limit for PFOA and PFOS

Veolia Water New York has notified some customers in Rockland County that testing found two PFAS, the “forever chemicals” PFOA and PFOS, above New York State’s drinking water limit in two of its production wells during the third quarter of 2026. The public notice, dated October 15, 2026, says PFOA was detected at 10.9 parts per trillion (ppt) in Well 55 and PFOS at 16.5 ppt in Well 29A. New York’s Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for each is 10.0 ppt.

What the notice says

• Who is affected: The Rockland system blends water from multiple wells and surface sources before it reaches homes. Veolia says it used a conservative model to identify customers who may have received water from these two wells, and includes a map of those areas with the notice.
• Still in service: Veolia says the water continues to be acceptable for all uses while it works on reducing PFOA and PFOS levels in these wells.
• Quarterly testing: PFOA, PFOS and other PFAS are measured at every source each quarter, Veolia says. If a later quarter does not exceed a New York State Department of Health MCL, no new notice is issued.

What happens next

Veolia says it is working with the Rockland County Department of Health on a compliance schedule to lower PFOA and PFOS in these wells through treatment projects now in the design and permitting phases. The utility says that work is similar to the 13 PFAS treatment plants already operating in Rockland County. It asks customers to share the notice with people who may not have received it directly, such as those in apartments, nursing homes, schools and businesses.

Why WaterVO™ follows this

Notices like this one are how utilities handle PFAS in water pumped from wells: the treatment happens after the water is drawn from the ground. Atmospheric water generation, which we call vapor optimizing (VO), starts from a different source: it filters incoming air and condenses drinking water from humidity instead. We believe VO is likely the best option for drinking water. It uses energy, but we think cleaner drinking water is worth it.

WaterVO prices go up December 1. Order before Dec. 1: the Spout Monolith is $1,495, the Countertop Vapor Optimizer is $1,499 and the Floor Model Vapor Optimizer is $1,999.

Sources

• Veolia Water New York, “Important Information About Your Drinking Water: PFOA & PFOS MCL Exceedances at Veolia Water New York,” public notice dated October 15, 2026 (PWS ID NY4303673): veolianorthamerica.com (PDF)
• Veolia Water New York customer information: mywater.veolia.us

Photo: Lake DeForest in Rockland County, seen from High Tor, by Lithium6ion via Wikimedia Commons (public domain); cropped, headline added in the featured image. Illustrative; the wells named in the notice are groundwater sources.

Keep learning

More from WaterVO News: Suffolk County Water Authority wins $4.55 million for PFAS treatment · ‘Not detected’ isn’t zero: TCU-led PFAS study

Go deeper with the water experts at Hydrology University: the PFAS guide.

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