Clean Water Community Day is this Saturday, September 19, from 12 to 4 PM at Placita La Amistad, 278 S. William St., Newburgh. It’s free, it’s bilingual, and it’s for all ages.
Come learn about our watershed, get the latest updates on PFAS in Washington Lake, and have your say: how can our community heal?
Why This Day Matters Now
Ten years ago, Newburgh learned its drinking water was contaminated. PFAS from firefighting foam used at Stewart Air National Guard Base had flowed through Recreation Pond and Silver Stream into Washington Lake, the city’s reservoir.
In May 2016 the City declared a state of emergency. By June 7, 2016, it had switched to water from New York City’s Catskill Aqueduct. That August, New York State listed the base as a Class 2 State Superfund site (#336089). Newburgh is still on Catskill water today, and that water meets state and federal standards.
The next step was supposed to be a full study of the pollution, called a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study. It decides how the site gets cleaned up. That study was expected to finish in September 2026.
It won’t. The Department of Defense’s own progress report, as of June 30, 2026, now estimates the study will end in September 2051, with no money planned for it this year. And the study is only the first phase. The cleanup comes after that.
A child born in Newburgh this year would be about 25 before the study is done.
Our partners have been clear. Riverkeeper’s Dan Shapley called the delay “unacceptable.” Jennifer Rawlison of the Newburgh Clean Water Project, community co-chair of the base’s Restoration Advisory Board, called it “a direct betrayal of public health.”
When the timeline gets longer, the community’s memory and voice matter more. Clean Water Community Day is a chance to keep this issue in front of everyone, in English and Spanish, and to hear directly from residents about what healing should look like.
What to Expect
- Bilingual storytime with Spanish Cafecito — kids’ sessions at 12:15 and 1:15 PM
- Face painting and art activities
- Interactive exhibits on the watershed and PFAS
- Food trucks, music, and more for all ages
Who’s Behind It
The day is hosted by Hudson Valley Latino Business Commerce Inc. and Placita La Amistad, in partnership with the Newburgh Clean Water Project, the Multi-site Health Study, the University of Cambridge, Bard College, Riverkeeper, the Quassaick Creek Watershed Alliance, and Outdoor Promise.
The Newburgh Clean Water Project, the Quassaick Creek Watershed Alliance, and Riverkeeper have spent years pushing for answers on Washington Lake and the watershed that feeds it. Outdoor Promise is proud to support the day with bilingual education as part of Newburgh’s Water: Flowing Through Time.
Take Action
- Come on Saturday. Bring your family, your questions, and your ideas.
- Share this post with a neighbor, especially Spanish-speaking families.
- Keep learning. Take our free, self-guided bilingual tour, Newburgh’s Water: Flowing Through Time, from the Hudson to Crystal Lake.
- Follow the cleanup. The Stewart Restoration Advisory Board meets in public, and the full state record for site #336089 is online (links below).
Sources
- NYSDEC, Newburgh PFAS / Stewart ANGB site page and document repository, site #336089
- U.S. Department of Defense, PFAS investigation and cleanup progress report, as of June 30, 2026 (Stewart row)
- WAMC, Newburgh parade to highlight 20-year delay of PFAS cleanup at Stewart Air National Guard Base (Aug 24, 2026)
- The Warwick Valley Dispatch, Local advocates push back on 25-year delay in Stewart PFAS cleanup (Sept 2026)
- Newburgh Clean Water Project
This project is funded in part by the New York State Environmental Protection Fund, as administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Office of Environmental Justice. The opinions, results, findings, and/or interpretations of data contained herein are the responsibility of Outdoor Promise and do not necessarily represent the opinions, interpretations, or policy of the State of New York.
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