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Residents press Niskayuna officials over copper residue and corrosion study
Summary
At a Niskayuna town meeting, residents described blue‑green copper residue in household faucets and urged faster action after past changes to corrosion control; town staff said sampling is complete and a final MJ Engineering report is expected soon.
A Niskayuna resident told the committee they removed a faucet from their master bathroom and found blue‑green residue they identified as copper, saying their family has consumed the water for more than 20 years and that town officials have not adequately addressed the problem.
"My family has been consuming that copper for over 20 years," the resident said, adding that earlier town decisions to stop adding caustic soda had worsened corrosion and prompted repeated water‑main repairs in areas near the treatment plant such as Rosendale Road and River Road.
The speaker cited a 1998 letter from Peter Kent to the Department of Health and a 2007 corrosion review (conducted on steel coupons) that noted pitting and local attack at the GE Circle testing location. "We knew there was a problem. We did nothing," the resident said, urging the town to use funds set aside in the budget to fix the treatment‑plant chemistry.
The chair told the resident the committee would provide an update during the agenda item designated for the water‑treatment plant. Staff said sampling for a corrosion‑control study is complete and that MJ Engineering is preparing a final report. Town staff (Josh) said the lab results were submitted to MJ and that a draft report is expected soon; he estimated the final report could be available by the end of June.
Staff also described the town’s plan to begin the second round of lead and copper sampling on July 1 (60 sites) and to maintain a running inventory updated annually. A town toxicologist told staff she did not have sufficient specific copper exposure data to judge long‑term health effects, a point the residents said left health questions unresolved.
Why it matters: Residents raised both health and infrastructure concerns — arguing that water chemistry changes and reduced corrosion control could damage private plumbing and public mains, with consequences for public health and taxpayer expense. The pending MJ Engineering report and the scheduled sampling round are the next concrete steps the town cited.
What’s next: Staff said they will post the MJ Engineering findings and a public‑facing summary on the town website when available and continue coordination with the county Department of Health on sampling and checklist requirements.
