The Suffolk County Water Authority and the Town of East Hampton announced today the imminent completion of one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in SCWA’s near 70-year history.
In just four months, SCWA oversaw the installation of approximately 45,000 feet of new water main in Wainscott. The project, the largest water main installation SCWA has undertaken in nearly 20 years, was designed to bring safe drinking water to an area impacted by perfluorinated chemicals. The last 1,000 feet of water main will be installed the first week of January.
Private service lines are currently being installed to connect the plumbing of participating homes and businesses to the new water main. To date, 124 properties have been hooked up to safe public water out of the approximately 520 in the project area.
"I am so happy to have Suffolk County Water Authority water," said Wainscott resident Lynn Grossman. "Thank you Supervisor Van Scoyoc and East Hampton Town, and thank you SCWA for making this project a priority. Having clean, potable water is so important."
"This is exactly why the Suffolk County Water Authority was created 67 years ago. To make sure that all Suffolk County residents have access to clean, safe drinking water." said SCWA Chairman Patrick Halpin. "This project is a great example of government working together at all levels to get things done. The installation of more than eight and a half miles of water main, completed in record time, just four months, is a testament to the incredible staff we have here at the Water Authority."
Suffolk County Water Authority Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey W. Szabo (left) with East Hampton Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc in Wainscott Thursday, with some of the last few feet of water main to be installed.
"I want to thank Town of East Hampton Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc and the full East Hampton Town Board for their steadfast support in making this happen quickly," said SCWA Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey W. Szabo. "Wainscott residents will now have a drinking water supply that is safe and reliable."
"Insuring that residents of Wainscott have access to safe drinking water has been my top priority in light of concerns about chemical contamination," said East Hampton Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc. "Water mains have been extended in record time thanks to our partnership with the Water Authority. We have also been able to achieve nearly $10 million in savings for East Hampton taxpayers through a successful joint grant application for state funds for the project."
The Suffolk County Department of Health Services confirmed the presence of pefluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in more than 150 private wells in the impacted area, located south of the East Hampton Airport, with a small number of private wells showing detections over the health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion.
"The completion of this project means that every person in Wainscott can turn on the tap in their home and be confident that their drinking water is safe," said New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. "I have been pleased to work with the Suffolk County Water Authority and the Town of East Hampton on this project, and we will continue our work to make sure Long Islanders are protected against emerging contaminants."
Wainscott resident Lynn Grossman (left) talks with Supervisor Van Scoyoc as she fills up a glass of safe, potable SCWA water from her kitchen sink.
"The residents of Wainscott, like all of our communities, deserve access to clean safe drinking water," said Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming. "I’m proud of the cooperative efforts by the Town of East Hampton, the Suffolk County Water Authority, Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, as well as the DEC and NYS Department of Health, acting quickly to get this important project done as soon as possible."
Ductile iron water main between six inches and 16 inches in diameter was installed. Copper and HDPE private service lines connecting the water main to each impacted home will continue to be installed in the coming weeks, along with the installation of meters and meter vaults among other project elements. Existing private wells will be disconnected from the internal plumbing of homes within the project area to prevent the possibility of cross-contamination with the public water system.
The Suffolk County Water Authority is an independent public-benefit corporation operating under the authority of the Public Authorities Law of the State of New York. Serving approximately 1.2 million Suffolk County residents, the Authority operates without taxing power on a not-for-profit basis.