Suffolk County Looks To Test Private Wells After Dangerous Chemicals Are Found In Town Of East Hampton

WAINSCOTT, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Suffolk County health officials are looking to test private wells after chemicals were found.

As WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported, the chemicals are known as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). They are commonly used in firefighting foam.

The problem is that after tests were done on private drinking water wells in Wainscott near the East Hampton Airport, one well tested positive for higher-than-normal levels of the chemicals that can cause liver damage, cancer, and thyroid issues.

Suffolk County Deputy Executive Peter Scully told WCBS 880 they are looking to test nearly 100 private wells in the area.

"We're offering to test people's tap water for free to make sure that it's not contaminated. The Town of East Hampton is now offering folks in the survey area bottled water as a precaution, pending results of the sampling," Scully said.

The same type of chemicals contaminated wells in Hampton Bays and Westhampton Beach, near a fire district and an Air National Guard base.