On May 13, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of New York initiated a significant drinking water infrastructure project in Hicksville, N.Y. The project involves the installation of a system to protect the community's drinking water from PFAS chemicals, also known as 'forever chemicals.' Funding for this project has been secured through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the New York State Water Infrastructure Improvement grant program.
"No matter where people live, they should feel confident about the water coming out of the faucet," said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "This new system—along with other improvements under way and planned for this project—will give that assurance to the people of Hicksville."
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by various dignitaries including U.S. Representative Tom Suozzi, New York State Department of Health Executive Deputy Commissioner Johanne Morne, and New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation Director of Program Management Máire Cunningham among others.
The Hicksville system improvement is funded by a $2 million Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Emerging Contaminants grant through the New York Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program and a $3 million New York State Water Infrastructure Improvement grant. The new treatment system will meet EPA’s new final PFAS standards.
"Our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is supercharging the effort to clean-up our drinking water even while it creates good-paying jobs and boosts the Long Island economy," said U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
"All New Yorkers deserve to have access to safe, reliable drinking water," added Senator Gillibrand. "I am thrilled to see work begin on this critical water infrastructure project that will remove PFAS chemicals from the drinking water supply for Hicksville area residents."
"I fought for the bipartisan infrastructure bill so we could get funding to places like the Hicksville Water District," said U.S. Representative Tom Suozzi (NY-3). "I will continue to fight to bring more money back to water districts here on Long Island and in Queens."
The Hicksville Water District, which serves nearly 48,000 Nassau County residents, has detected PFOA, PFOS and 1,4-dioxane in fourteen of their public water supply wells. The district has been blending the well water at the plant as a short-term measure to ensure that the water meets quality standards. As a long-term solution, the district will install treatment to remove PFOA, PFOS and 1,4-dioxane.
The project is currently on track for completion in June 2025.
On April 10 of this year, the Biden-Harris Administration issued the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard to protect communities from exposure to harmful per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
