Port Washington Mulls Tax, Water Rate Bump To Destroy Contaminant

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — Port Washington residents may see their water rates or taxes increase as water district officials test out a new $16 million process to remove trace amounts of a dangerous chemical found in multiple supply wells.

Earlier this year, officials with the Port Washington Water District confirmed that tiny amounts of the chemical 1,4-dioxane were found in more than 70 percent of wells that supply drinking water to Long Island. Test samples showed the chemical was detected in three of the hamlet's 12 supply wells at levels beyond the state's proposed maximum level of 1 part per billion, said David Brackett, chairman of the district's board of commissioners.

"Even though 1,4-dioxane is not currently regulated, our Board immediately directed operational changes to reduce our residents' exposure as much as possible," Brackett said in a news release.

Last month, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that state health officials had recommended setting a limit for the chemical at 1 part per billion. That limit could be adopted as soon as this year, the water district said.

The three district wells where the chemical was found to be beyond that proposed level are currently only activated if the other nine wells are tapped out and the community still needs more water.

But that's just a temporary solution.

Long-term, the district plans to launch a pilot program to destroy the chemical using a cutting-edge treatment known as advanced oxidation process, which is expected to be implemented by the end of the summer.

"While we are working as quickly and aggressively as possible to stay ahead of this situation, we need our residents to be aware that this is a lengthy process that is going to take time to fully implement," district commissioner Peter Meyer said. "We wish that installing this treatment was as simple as buying something off the shelf and hooking it up, but it is unfortunately not that simple."

Destroying and removing the chemical is complex — and pricey.

The filter needed to remove contaminants from thousands of gallons of water a minute costs millions more than the $3 million awarded by the state to help cover the price tag. As such, the district has joined 22 other water authority agencies in suing the companies that made 1,4-dioxane, the district said.

It also sought bond approval to make the necessary treatment upgrades. No one spoke at the Aug. 13 hearing by the Town of Hempstead, Newsday reported, and the board voted unanimously to approve the bond.

Water district Commissioner Mindy Germain said there was "nothing more important than the integrity" of the hamlet's drinking water.

"While we are not thrilled about the need to request more bonds, the funding is simply necessary to combat emerging contaminants and ensure our systems are resilient for decades to come," said Germain. "We are currently working with a third-party consultant that specializes in ratemaking so we can know exactly how to pay back this bond with as little impact as possible to our water rates and tax levy."

Bill Merklin, senior vice president of D&B Engineers and Architects, which was contracted for the chemical removal project, told the newspaper that either water rate or tax increases were likely.

Historically, people used the synthetic chemical 1,4-dixoane as a stabilizer for industrial solvents. It was also used in small amounts in everyday items such as inks, adhesives, cosmetics, detergents, and shampoos, as well as supplements, food packaging and pet food.

While widespread use stopped in the mid-1990s, the chemical remains in the environment for years and seeps into the groundwater, persisting for years. Removing the contaminant across Long Island would cost an estimated $840 million in upgrades, with an additional $50 million every year in increased operating and maintenance costs, the water district said.