The Bethpage Water District (BWD) is proud to unveil its fourth Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) treatment system for the removal of 1,4-dioxane from drinking water at its South Park Drive facility. This AOPsystem, combined with the installation for Granular Activated Carbon (GAC), is the only approved method to rid the drinking water of 1,4-dioxane. Furthermore, GAC treatment is also effective at removing perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). The BWD has been working at an unprecedented speed to ensure these systems were up and running without the need for a compliance deferral from New York State.
“The top priority of the Bethpage Water District is and will always be the health and safety of our residents,” said BWD Chairman John Coumatos. “This District works tirelessly to ensure our community continues to receive the highest quality water despite the herculean challenges we face with the Northrop Grumman Plume. This is a huge milestone for our community and we are proud of the four treatment systems we have been able to install in such a short period of time.”
The Bethpage Water District was the first Nassau County water provider to have operation AOP treatment. They were also the first water provider in the world to have an approved Trojan Flex 100 AOP system, which is now the standard AOP system being used throughout Long Island. Construction of each of the District’s four AOP facilities began well before the State finalized its new maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) to regulate emerging contaminants. The District’s aggressive work to produce high quality water has made them a leader in Long Island’s battle to address emerging contaminants.
“Actions always speak louder than words. The completion of this fourth AOP system is an additional measure to support our fight to reverse the false narrative surrounding the quality of the Bethpage community’s water,” said BWD Commissioner Theresa Black. “As bad actors continue to kick the can down the road in addressing the plume or others try to instill fear in our residents to leverage the situation for their own profits, we have never wavered in our obligation to ensure our residents receive water that is of the highest quality. Our residents can rest assured that our water quality meets or surpasses all federal, state and local guidelines and stands up against any water provider in the region.”
With the fourth AOP system coming online, the District now has the capacity to produce more than nine million gallons of water that is non-detect of 1,4-dioxane, PFOA and PFOS each and every day. Residents interested in better understanding the quality of their drinking water, the District’s 2020 Annual Water Quality Report (AWQR) is available for viewing at www.bethpagewater.com. Printed copies of the AWQR can also be requested by contacting the District at 516-931-0093.
“Along with my fellow commissioners, I’ve been a lifelong Bethpage resident who has always been proud of the results the dedicated men and women of the Bethpage Water District have produced,” said BWD Commissioner Scott Greco. “The construction of these new treatment systems means our water quality has never been better and I urge our residents who have questions about their water quality to reach out to us. We have nothing to hide and look forward to instilling our residents with the confidence they should have in their tap water.”