In April 2026, residents of Saratoga Springs, NY, received a second official notice regarding water quality issues at Loughberry Lake, the city’s primary drinking water source. This follow-up letter from the Department of Public Works (DPW) addressed elevated levels of Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM), a byproduct of chlorine disinfection. [1, 2, 3]

Key Details of the Water Quality Notice

• • Contaminant Identified: High levels of TTHM (145 micrograms per liter in late 2025) were recorded, exceeding the state standard of 80 micrograms per liter.

  • Primary Cause: Officials attributed the spike to construction activity at the Loughberry Lake Dam, which disturbed organic materials at the bottom of the lake.

  • Health Risk: The DPW stated that the exceedance is not an immediate health emergency. However, long-term exposure (over many years) to high TTHM levels can increase the risk of cancer.

  • Official Guidance: No special action (such as boiling water) is currently required from residents. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

City Response and Actions

• Ongoing Monitoring: The city is required to conduct quarterly measurements and is working with the Department of Health to study the cause.

• Future Planning: Commissioner BK Keramati has prioritized securing a more stable and high-quality water supply, noting that current lake capacity has decreased by approximately 22%.

• Scam Warning: Residents should be aware of fraudulent “Water Update” notices previously circulated by private companies trying to sell water softeners; official city alerts are posted on the Saratoga Springs website.

This was first reported in the Daily Gazette