Suffolk County will be providing more than 60 Manorville homes with safe drinking water.
The county will contribute $1.5 million from its Water Infrastructure Fund to help connect the homes to the public water supply. The 64 homes currently have private wells, which have been contaminated for at least four years.
Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone said any day where the county can talk about water quality is a good day.
“Because of the culmination of the work of all the people here and their efforts, we’re able to say that we have the funding in place, all the funding in place, necessary to provide the clean water that this community, these residents deserve,” Bellone said.
Government officials said water quality is a “nonpartisan” issue that is crucial for all of Suffolk County to maintain. They said this project is a massive collaboration of all levels of government.
“This water that you’re getting will be constantly tested and whatever needs to be done in the event something else pops up, it will be done and it will be treated and taken out of your water supply,” said Patrick Halpin, Suffolk County Water Authority chairman. “The water that comes to our residents’ homes not only meets the federal and state requirements but exceeds them.”
Some private wells were found to be contaminated by perfluorinated alkylated substances, known as PFAS, which can cause cancers and other serious health concerns.
Manorville homeowner Kelly McClinchy is grateful for every drop now that she will receive safe drinking water.
"This community has carried the weight of their water for decades and today, that comes to an end,” McClinchy said. “We started as a group of 60 families, and we've grown to a support network of over 100 individuals."
The project is linked to a larger effort in the Manorville-Calverton area. The new award will ensure the project is fully funded and is free for homeowners.
Construction for the Riverhead side of the project will begin in a few months.
