State lawmakers are trying to get to the bottom of what the Cuomo administration knew about water contamination in the small upstate town of Hoosick Falls and whether officials warned residents in a timely matter about the pollution. State House Reporter Zack Fink has more from a rare summer hearing held in Albany.

Seizing on the embarrassing story of Hoosick Falls, lawmakers on Wednesday immediately put Governor Cuomo's Health Commissioner, Howard Zucker, on the defensive.

"Did you ever feel any legal obligation to inform the people of Hoosick Falls that their water exceeded EPA guidelines at the time you knew it?" asked Republican Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin.

"We followed the guidelines and when it exceeded we worked with the county and with the village and there are letters from the Mayor of Hoosick Falls to the community saying we are working with them," Zucker shot back.

The health commissioner and the Cuomo administration have been widely criticized for failing to instruct local residents not to drink or cook with the water from the town water supply which was found to have high levels of the contaminant PFOA.

Instead, it was the federal EPA, which issued that guideline late last year, while Zucker and the State Health Department continued to tell residents they did not expect any adverse health effects from drinking the water.

Zucker was also asked why he never followed through on his promise from January to set a state level for PFOA that is acceptable.

"This is a national issue," Zucker said.

"That's not my question, Doctor," Assemblyman McLaughlin said. "You stated that you would set a new level within weeks back in January. We know it's a national issue. It's showing up in states all over the nation. I am asking you, as the guardian of public health in New York, did you ever set a new level for PFOA."

"As I said before that we looked at this," Zucker said. "We realized this needs to be a bigger issue."

Some Hoosick Falls residents who came to the Capitol for the hearing told us they were very disappointed with Zucker's performance.

[[sot - Michele baker/Hoosick falls]]

"Just own up," said Hoosick Falls resident Michele Baker. "Say it. Admit it Dr. Zucker and Department of Health, we made a mistake. What can we do to help these folks and the next town in New York State."

And on Wednesday the EPA declared Hoosick Falls a superfund site. That means federal resources can be used to help clean up the contamination.