Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone and Senator Anthony Palumbo today announced $1.5 million in new funding needed to allow a long-awaited project to connect 64 homes in an area of Riverhead that has been impacted by groundwater contamination to connect to public water. The County Executive and State Senator were joined at the event by Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio, County Legislator Al Krupski, Riverhead Town Supervisor Yvette Aguiar, representatives from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the Suffolk County Water Authority, homeowners, and environmental advocates.
"These homeowners have been waiting for too long for a definitive answer about the cost of connecting their homes to the public water supply," said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. "We are here today to eliminate any uncertainty about how this project will be paid for. With today's announcement, we make it clear that these families will be connected to a safe and reliable source of drinking water at no cost. This day has been a long time coming."
The 64 homes are located in the Town of Riverhead and are part of a broader area south of the former US Navy/Grumman industrial site in Calverton where the Suffolk County Department of Health Services has investigated groundwater contamination and initiated surveys of private wells focused on volatile organic compounds and emerging contaminants including 1, 4-dioxane and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). A separate project to connect 64 homes in part of the study area located in Brookhaven Town is moving forward due in part to a grant of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds by the Town of Brookhaven.
The overall cost of the project includes the price for installation of water mains, service lines to connect homes to the mains, as well as tapping fees and surcharges. Town of Riverhead and Suffolk County Water Authority have been working to obtain the grant funding needed to complete the estimated $10.85 million project. A total of $7.35 in federal funding had been secured with the help of Senator Chuck Schumer and former Congressman Lee Zeldin. The Suffolk County Water Authority's Board of Directors recently approved a policy that authorizes a credit to homeowners that will reduce the project cost by $2.41 million, leaving a funding gap of about $1.3 million. The new $1.5 million award of ARPA funding from Suffolk County's Water Infrastructure Fund will ensure that the project is fully funded and can be completed at no cost to homeowners.
"When it comes to addressing water quality problems, our goal is always to make solutions easy and affordable for homeowners," said County Executive Bellone. "By working together with our partners in federal, state and local government, with this contribution from the County's Water Infrastructure Fund, we will have succeeded in providing a reliable source of safe drinking water with no out of pocket cost to these 64 homeowners."
The County Executive credited the Town of Riverhead and Suffolk County Water Authority for working cooperatively on the project and thanked Senator Schumer, Senator Palumbo and Legislator Krupski for their efforts.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said: “This is a great day in Manorville. For years I have worked with residents, advocates, and Riverhead Town to bring federal funding for safe drinking water to Manorville and Calverton families with contaminated water wells, providing $13.5 million in federal funds directly and through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Thanks to County Executive Bellone, the final needed funding is on its way from the County Water Infrastructure Fund. I applaud the work of Riverhead Town Supervisor Aguiar, the Suffolk County Water Authority, New York State and State Senator Palumbo for their work alongside mine to secure safe water for these residents.”
Senator Anthony Palumbo said: "I have been focused on working with all stakeholders to secure the funding needed to complete this project since the day I took office, and today's announcement is the culmination of a lot of hard work by many of the people who are with us today. I cannot thank Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and the Suffolk County Water Authority enough for their efforts in addressing this problem and coming up with the additional funding needed to get this critically important water infrastructure project moving forward. Providing clean, reliable and safe drinking water to the residents of Suffolk County remains one of my top priorities.”
Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio said: “This is great news! I am thankful for the collaboration of all the Elected Officials, the Suffolk County Water Authority, the environmental community and the residents who have been advocating for far too long for the connection to public water. Clean water to drink, cook and bathe with is a Constitutional right in NYS.”
Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos said: “Clean water is critical to protecting the health of Long Island’s communities and natural resources. New York State’s sustained and comprehensive efforts are tracking down and eliminating sources of emerging contaminants and other pollutants in our environment, and DEC looks forward to continuing to partner with Suffolk County and other state, local, and federal leaders to advance actions to protect water quality and drinking water supplies.”
Legislator Al Krupski said: "I'd like to thank the County Executive for being responsive to the clean water needs and Manorville residents. Additional thanks to the professional services provided by the Suffolk County Health Department for all their water sampling and testing throughout this process."
Riverhead Town Supervisor Yvette Aguiar said: “I applaud County Executive Steve Bellone and his team for working collaboratively with the Town of Riverhead and the Suffolk County Water Authority on this public health effort, which has been ongoing for decades. Last year when I requested assistance from Steve, he replied, “I will see what I can do.” Today, it is mission accomplished!”
Suffolk County Health Services Commissioner, Dr. Gregson H. Pigott, said: "The Suffolk County Sanitary Code has a long-standing policy to promote the extension of public water, especially to impacted areas in need, such as Manorville. The Suffolk County Department of Health Services has supported this public water supply extension for many years, conducting several private well surveys and groundwater investigations in this area to help demonstrate the need and protect public health. We are gratified that residents, environmental advocates, and elected officials have worked diligently to develop this solution."
SCWA Chairman Patrick Halpin said: “The Suffolk County Water Authority is grateful to Suffolk County for their commitment to providing the necessary funding to complete the Riverhead portion of the Manorville project for these 64 homes. The Town of Riverhead and the residents of the impacted neighborhood are eager to see this project completed and have access to high quality water in their homes.”
SCWA Board Member Charles Lefkowitz said: “There has been a tremendous collaborative effort from different agencies to secure the funding needed to move this project forward. Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand and former Congressman Zeldin secured millions of dollars for this project. I also want to acknowledge Governor Hochul and the state’s role in providing additional funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. These efforts, combined with today’s announcement from Suffolk County, ensures 100% funding for the connection of these 64 homes and better drinking water for these families.”
“Today’s announcement is the result of years of hard work and the determination of residents and is a prime example of what can be accomplished when government works together for the betterment of its citizens,” concluded Senator Palumbo.