Oyster Bay approves $67M bond for Bethpage Water District projects

The Oyster Bay Town Board on Tuesday unanimously approved a nearly $67 million bond for Bethpage Water District projects, including moving drinking wells outside groundwater pollution coming from the former Northrop Grumman and Navy facility.

The water district also plans to install additional treatment systems for the likely carcinogen 1,4-dioxane, miles of water main replacements and build a new administrative building and garage for the district to replace its current headquarters.

The Bethpage Water District has treated groundwater pollution for decades coming from the former 600-acre facility as it argued for a more aggressive cleanup.

"Bethpage has shouldered the burden of cleaning this plume to the best of its ability," said Michael Ingham, general counsel to the district. "We have a legacy here of industrial pollution, which we must confront."

Ratepayers would pay on average $374 per year per household to cover the full cost of the bond, though Ingham said he believed the cost to local customers would be less because of grants and reimbursement.

About $35 million worth of projects — which would cost a total of $73.6 million — is due to the Northrop Grumman and Navy plume of pollution, according to Bethpage Water District Superintendent Mike Boufis.

The district is pursuing reimbursement from polluters, including Northrop Grumman, as well as state grants, to offset the costs to residents.

"In the interim, we cannot wait. We need to do this," said Theresa Black, a Bethpage water commissioner.

The water district in 2018 announced its plan to shut down three well sites drawing water from the plume and drill new water supply wells outside the boundaries. The district currently has nine wells at six locations.

While the district's water meets or exceeds current drinking water standards, Boufis said operation and maintenance costs have soared with 1,4-dioxane treatment that uses a lot of electricity.

Six of the district's nine wells are contaminated with 1,4-dioxane above the state's proposed drinking water standard.

When Bethpage is no longer using the wells, the polluters or state would step in to operate those wells as part of a broader state cleanup plan to contain and eventually clean the larger plume of groundwater pollution, according to Richard Humann, president and CEO of H2M architects + engineers.

Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino praised the district for "a real yeoman's effort in a difficult situation. … This is not something that the residents of Bethpage should shoulder any responsibility for. Yet we find ourselves here today."

The work includes $5.1 million for an administration building and garage. Boufis said the roof leaks in the current 1952 building, and Humann said the garage is dated, as the water district concentrated on treatment of the plume.

By David M. Schwartz

dschwar1@newsday.comschwartznewsNY

David Schwartz covers environmental issues. A native Long Islander, he's worked at Newsday since 2013.