By Hank Russell
Three local municipalities and two public utilities received a combined total of more than $95 million for water infrastructure projects, with the funding coming from the state’s Water Infrastructure Improvement (WIIA) program.
The Village of Farmingdale received a $3 million WIIA grant for the installation of an Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) treatment system for the removal of 1,4-dioxane and a Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) treatment system for the removal of Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). The Village of Garden City received a $5,460,000 WIIA grant for the installation of new equipment at the village’s Park Plant for the treatment of emerging contaminants in Well Nos. 15 and 16.
The Town of Hempstead received seven WIIA grants totaling $51,180,000 for the installation of new equipment at the Uniondale Water District Well Nos. 5 and 6 for the treatment of emerging contaminants; multiple AOP treatment systems for 1,4-dioxane removal and the installation of multiple GAC treatment systems to remove perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), quench residual hydrogen peroxide and remove AOP byproducts; and new equipment at the Roosevelt Well Field for the treatment of emerging contaminants.
The Suffolk County Water Authority received three WIIA grants totaling $4.5 million for the construction of new AOP systems to remove 1,4-dioxane from groundwater at the Albany Avenue well field located in North Amityville, the Montauk Point State Boulevard well field, and the South Spur Drive well field in East Northport.
Lastly, the Water Authority of Western Nassau County obtained four WIIA grants totaling $31,458,870 for the installation of a new AOP treatment system and a new granular activated carbon filtration system to remove 1,4-dioxane, PFOA and PFOS from Well Nos. 20, 28, 35A and 40.
On April 11, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that he Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors approved $142 million in financial assistance for water infrastructure improvement projects across New York State. The announcement comes a day after President Joe Biden mandated all public water utilities to eliminate all cancer-causing “forever chemicals” from its drinking water supply.
“My administration is tackling water quality issues head-on with strategic investments that will benefit New Yorkers for generations to come,” Hochul said. “These funds are crucial to help communities modernize and protect critical infrastructure so that all New Yorkers have access to clean water.”