Water Authority Breaks Ground on Manorville Project

Faced with contamination from "Forever Chemicals," residents in Manorville will soon be able to hook up to public water thanks to a 20,000-foot water main extension recently underway by the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA). The project is in response to a year's long effort by residents to get fresh drinking water to the area.

In 2017, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services began assessing private wells in Manorville and discovered the presence of the carcinogenic chemicals PFOA and PFOS. Introduced in the 1940's, the polyfluoroalkyl substances are commonly used in many applications, including firefighting foams, non-stick coatings, packaging, carpets, and furniture. The compounds are known to not chemically decompose in nature and represent a threat to the health of those using local well water, officials said. 

"These families have been living with the burden of unsafe drinking water for far too long. I am happy to report that safe, high-quality drinking water is on the way," said Water Authority Chairman Charles Lefkowitz. "Thanks to the efforts of our federal elected officials, New York State, and the Town of Brookhaven, this project is fully funded. Without their leadership, this may have never happened."

The first phase of the project will extend a water main along Halsey Manor Road to reach homes in the vicinity of Primrose Path. Construction is expected to take about three months, with residents connected to the system in the next phase. In total, 116 homes are slated for hookups.

The project is funded by grants secured by the authority, including $3.5 million from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that was made available through the efforts of Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and former Rep. Lee Zeldin. An additional $1.6 million Intermunicipal Grant is on tap from New York State. Finally, the Town of Brookhaven has agreed to provide an additional $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds. Without the $7.1 in grant monies, the project would have cost each resident tens of thousands of dollars, they noted.
 
According to the EPA, "Human studies have found associations between PFOA and/or PFOS exposure and several types of health effects including the liver, the immune system, the cardiovascular system, human development (e.g., decreased birth weight), and cancer."

"This is a great day for clean drinking water in Manorville," Schumer said. "For years, I have worked with residents, advocates, and local leaders to bring federal funding for safe drinking water to Manorville families with contaminated water wells, providing $13.5 million in federal funds directly and through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Now, the project is underway, and I applaud the Suffolk County Water Authority and its partners for their work to bring secure, safe drinking water to these residents and all the residents they serve across Suffolk County." 

State Senator Dean Murray said, "Ensuring all of our residents have a clean, high-quality water supply is a top priority, and I applaud all levels of government for working together to make this project a reality. In particular, I would like to thank the Suffolk County Water Authority for their hard work and dedication. I'm excited that, very soon, hundreds of Manorville residents will have access to our top-of-the-line public water system." 

Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine said, "For years, I have fought alongside Deputy Supervisor Dan Panico to bring clean water to the people of this community. Today, we are seeing the fruition of that work with the Suffolk County Water Authority bringing clean, public water to these Manorville residents after years of contamination threatening their private wells. Once this project is complete, the quality of drinking water will be vastly improved, and residents can be assured that they will have clean, uncontaminated water for years to come. I thank the Suffolk County Water Authority for taking this important step to improve the quality of life for our residents."

The Suffolk County Water Authority is an independent public-benefit corporation operating under the Public Authorities Law of New York State. Serving approximately 1.2 million Suffolk County residents, the authority operates on a not-for-profit basis without taxing powers.