More drinking water wells near the Brookhaven National Lab are now being tested for a potentially toxic chemical.

Officials at BNL have agreed to pay for testing of 97 private wells in neighborhoods south of the laboratory.

The testing will look for PFAS and PFOS found in firefighting foam that was used at the labs from the 1960s until 2008.

Because BNL is a Superfund site, state officials required the lab to test for the toxic chemicals last year. According to the findings, PFAS were identified in the groundwater in several areas of the lab site, primarily near its current and former firehouses, at levels above the current U.S. Environmental Protection standards.

Because Long Island's sole source aquifer lies below the surface, environmental groups pushed to have BNL pay for further testing done in areas south of the lab.

With all parties now on board, the Suffolk County Health Department will begin canvassing a large residential area of East Yaphank, contacting property owners and collecting water samples.

There are several other areas across Long Island, including Gabreski Airport in West Hampton and the Suffolk County Fire Training Facility in Yaphank, where the emerging contaminant has been found and linked to firefighting foam.