Construction is underway on a $19.5 million water treatment facility for the Bethpage Water District, as high levels of contaminants continue to spread from the former Northrop Grumman site.
The new treatment plant on Motor Lane, expected to open by late 2020, will allow the district to treat concentrated levels of volatile organic compounds heading toward its drinking water wells and do it more efficiently, District Superintendent Mike Boufis said.
It also will include a treatment system for the emerging contaminant 1,4-dioxane, a man-made chemical the state is expected to regulate this year.
The district expects the U.S. Navy to pick up the $15 million in costs for the new plant’s treatment for volatile organic contaminants, but not necessarily the $4.5 million for 1,4-dioxane, which is not yet regulated by the federal government, according to the water district and its consultant, H2M architects + engineers of Melville.
Even through fights behind closed doors with the polluters, we do what’s best for the community.
Under the agreements, the Navy and Northrop Grumman are responsible for cleaning up different areas of the plume.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation is working on a study on how to fully contain and treat the plume, which is nearly four miles long and two miles wide in the underground aquifer.
“We continue to call on Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy to expedite construction of the full containment and treatment system.
Humann said the plants, by treating the drinking water, also help remove contaminants from the plume, which is slowly spreading south.
A pilot system to remove 1,4-dioxane was added in 2014.