'Nothing Has Been Done.' Suffolk officials and residents furious over decades of chemical pollution at Calverton site
Residents in surrounding communities say they have been frustrated for years by the lack of progress.
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Suffolk County officials say contamination at the former Navy site in Calverton has worsened, and a new county health department study shows increased levels of PFAS and other chemicals in nearby waterways and private wells.
Residents in surrounding communities say they have been frustrated for years by the lack of progress.
“They’ve known about this for a long time and nothing has been done. The whole Grumman thing is a fiasco,” said Phyllis Hartman.
According to Suffolk County officials, some water samples taken near the site showed contamination levels as high as 1,000 times the legal limit.
County Executive Ed Romaine said the pollution is putting public health at risk, especially for people who fish in nearby waters.
“Every time I go on Edwards Avenue, Exit 71 north, you’ll see somebody fishing near the dam there,” Romaine said. “These guys and gals are eating the fish and it’s extremely unhealthy.”
The study, done by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, also compared Navy findings with a separate 2025 Suffolk County review of private drinking wells.
County officials say the Navy reported no PFAS levels above the legal limit. However, Suffolk County says it found PFAS contamination in 11 private wells, with three wells testing above the legal threshold.
Romaine said some homeowners can no longer safely use their well water.
“Private wells are so contaminated now that they can’t use them to drink. Or for bathing,” he said. “Imagine if you have a little baby and you have to mix baby formula, are you going to feed the baby that?”
Romaine says $22 million is the tip of the iceberg for connecting affected homes to public water service.
County health officials also criticized the Navy’s testing methods.
“You analyze for all the contaminants of concern. You don’t analyze one at a time. I’ve never seen this before,” said Andrew Rapiejko, associate hydrogeologist with the Suffolk County Department of Health Services.
Romaine said his next step will be contacting New York’s U.S. senators to seek federal assistance.
News 12 has reached out to the Navy for comment but have not heard back
