Yesterday, October 8th, the Village of Hamilton was notified by Colgate University that testing of water
samples taken in three of its buildings, located at 72 Broad Street, 80 Broad Street, and 82 Broad Street,
showed the presence of lead in the water at the sample locations inside those buildings above EPA
action levels. At this time, the Village has no reason to believe that there are elevated lead levels in its
public water system and is reassuring the public that the Village’s water supply is safe.
The Village regularly tests its public water for a variety of contaminants, including lead, in accordance
with New York State Department of Health protocols. Historically, those tests have shown the lead levels
to be well within the range of acceptable limits as established by the New York State Department of
Heath and the EPA. The Village’s most recent Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for 2018 is posted
on the Village website: https://hamilton-ny.gov/reports/, which includes the results of lead testing of 26 samples
taken from sites located throughout the Village in 2017, as well as information about minimizing your
risk of lead exposure from plumbing fixtures present in your home.
Since becoming aware of the test results at the three Colgate buildings, the Village of Hamilton has been
working cooperatively with Colgate University in its efforts to diagnose and remedy these conditions.
These efforts include additional water sampling, as well as hydro excavations to verify the condition of
the water pipes that provide service to the buildings in question. The Village will continue with those
efforts as necessary in order to assist the University in remedying this situation.