Patricia Sciabarassi has lived in Hicksville for decades. She say she trusts that whatever chemicals may have seeped into Long Island's sole aquifer in the past are being treated before coming out of her faucet.
Rep. Tom Suozzi stood with a bipartisan group of local, state and federal officials to announce that a state-of-the-art advanced oxidation system is being installed in the Hicksville Water District to remove PFAS chemicals.
Paul Granger, superintendent for the Hicksville Water District tells News 12 the system will use UV light, a chemical oxidant and a large amount of granular activated carbon to remove these emerging compounds.
There are 14 wells in Hicksville - 10 have had wellhead treatments already and this will add two more.
It will cost $9 million to install and federal and state grants will cover more than half of that.
Officials say while the grants were substantial, they will not cover the entire project, and customers may have to foot some of the bill.
Paul Granger, superintendent for the Hicksville Water District said, “You could see rates going up over the next several years from 25% to 50%.”
There are 48,000 people within the water district that could see increases if more grants are not provided.