Riverhead’s Congressional delegation — comprised of U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota — recently notified the Town of Riverhead that they successfully secured an additional $1.25 million in federal funding to provide pure and clean drinking water to residents in Riverhead.
The funds, through the Environmental Protection Agency’s State and Tribal Assistance Grant, were earmarked in both chambers of Congress as a part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Community Project Funding grant program.
Schumer, Gillibrand and former Congressman Lee Zeldin previously secured $2 million in 2022 and $3.5 million in 2021 in federal funding for public water improvements in Riverhead.
The funds were applied for by the Community Development Department through Congressionally Directed Spending, in an effort to provide potable public water to residents whose private wells have become contaminated south and east of Calverton Enterprise Park.
Supervisor Timothy C. Hubbard said, “The town’s efforts to fully address the important need to provide potable water to our residents has been repeatedly supported by our elected federal public officials at the behest of the entire Riverhead Town Board and with strong public support.”
“Access to clean, safe drinking water is a necessity and a right for every Long Islander, and I am proud to once again provide funding to the effort to connect Calverton and Manorville residents with contaminated water wells to public water systems,” Schumer said. “This $1.25 million for the Town of Riverhead secured as part of the federal budget bill that I just negotiated in Congress will help ensure families have that safe, clean water flowing through their taps.”
“New Yorkers deserve water systems they can depend on and safe drinking water they can trust,” Gillibrand added. “This $1.25 million award for a public water main extension in the Town of Riverhead is monumental for improving water infrastructure at the local level. It will bring much-needed improvements to modernize water systems in Riverhead and help ensure residents have access to safe and reliable water. I am proud to have secured this funding and will continue fighting for the resources needed to enhance public health and provide New Yorkers with access to clean water.”
“I am thrilled to announce over $1 million in federal funding will be going to the Town of Riverhead,” LaLota said. “This funding will help the Town build upon the existing Public Water Main and ensure access to safe and clean drinking water. Infrastructure projects and improvements like this will only make our communities better and improve the lives of Long Island families. I will continue to work to ensure Suffolk County gets the highest return on our federal tax dollars as possible.”
Some wells have tested positive for many contaminants, including Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)/Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylate (PFOA) in excess of EPA and NYS limits. These substances were developed in the 1940s and 1950s, and commonly used in firefighting foams.
In 2020, the Town Board directed the creation of Engineering Maps and Plans to expand the Riverhead Water District to allow service to those affected homes, which were funded by the Town of Riverhead. However, funding did not exist to allow construction of the public water extensions to commence.
“I am very appreciative of the continued support and efforts of our Congressional delegation — Senator Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Nick
LaLota — for advocating for the needs of Riverhead residents in order to secure the funds to address this important public safety issue.” said Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard.
Hubbard also thanked State Senator Anthony Palumbo, State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio and the entire Town Board, “who all have petitioned their support in Washington for this project.”