Southampton Town will set aside $4 million for water infrastructure improvements in areas where carcinogenic PFOS chemicals have been found in private wells.
PFOS and PFOA are contaminants that the EPA has linked to cancer and other health issues. The chemicals were detected in 45 private wells in East Quogue.
The water infrastructure upgrades would extend public water access to the affected residents. The town is applying for state grants to cover a portion of the cost, but the majority of the funding will come from local taxes.
Southampton is investigating a closed landfill, where the chemicals were detected at 150 times the federal limit, and nearby Gabreski Airport that used firefighting foam made of PFOA.
