Residents for a More Beautiful Port Washington Fights to Protect Long Island's Drinking Water

Residents for a More Beautiful Port Washington is working to preserve Nassau County’s drinking water.

Residents is concerned about a New York City Department of Environmental Protection plan that would draw about 33 million gallons of water a day from Long Island’s drinking water supply.

They want to know what this plan, which hopes to reopen 23 shuttered wells in Queens, will do to Long Island’s aquifer.

Reopening these wells after many years of not being used could alter flow patterns and cause saltwater intrusion, according to a press release.

Residents wants to ensure that this plan will not hurt Nassau County’s drinking water supply, according to Residents’ executive director Mindy Germain.

Residents met with elected officials, water suppliers, environmental groups and Senator Jack Martins at the Port Washington Public Library on Monday. They discussed a possible study by United States Geological Survey and learned about Martin’s new legislative bill on abandoned wells. There were more than 40 people in attendance.

Residents and the Western Nassau County Aquifer Committee are pushing for the USGS to conduct a scientific study to find out “what will happen when the wells get turned on before they actually are turned on,” Germain said.

The study by USGS, an independent and impartial organization, would make sure Long Island’s water supply would be unharmed from the NYC DEP plan.

Under Martin’s legislation (S4214), an abandoned public supply well would be considered abandoned by law if it has been inactive for more than 2 years with a population greater than 2 million. To reopen these wells, a full review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act would be required.

The legislation would ensure that officials will conduct a full environmental review before the City can reopen the wells.

“We want to get the facts,” Martin said.

Image via Senator Jack Martins

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