Rockland residents concerned about water contamination due to illegal dumping

Residents in Rockland are concerned about water that was apparently contaminated by illegal dumping.The problem dates back to the 1970's when The Ford Motor Company from Mahwah, New Jersey used areas in Ramapo to trash its paint supplies. The contaminated area is located next to the Ramapo River where United Water gets about a third of Rockland's water supply.The Town of Ramapo is working with the attorney general's office to seek compensation from Ford to clean it up. A spokesperson from United Water says they support every effort to get rid of the paint sludge. However, they do have concerns about digging in the area, which could contaminate the water even more. Right now the paint has congealed, making it less dangerous and less likely to contaminate the water supply.