More than $44 million could be coming to Long Island for critical water infrastructure upgrades, as the Suffolk County Water Authority announced it has applied for funding through New York State’s Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA).
The applications, totaling $44.2 million, cover 20 projects, including five Advanced Oxidation Process systems to treat for 1,4-dioxane, 11 Granular Activated Carbon systems to remove PFAS, and four water main extensions in East Moriches, Manorville, Kings Park, and Mattituck.
The New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation is making $325 million available this year for clean water and drinking water upgrades. The water authority requests target both emerging contaminants and the expansion of safe, reliable drinking water to more Suffolk homes.
Earlier this year, the agency announced it had already achieved compliance with new federal PFAS standards—six years ahead of schedule. Previous rounds of WIIA funding helped make that possible.
“Funding opportunities like this are essential to keeping SCWA ahead of the curve,” said Chairman Charlie Lefkowitz. “We’ve worked aggressively to eliminate emerging contaminants from the water we supply to our customers and to extend high-quality drinking water to more residents. State grant programs help us achieve these goals without placing additional costs on our customers.”
Along with new treatment systems, the applications seek to connect private wells impacted by PFAS to the public water supply. If approved, up to 187 homes could gain access to safe drinking water through these projects. Grant awards are expected to be announced later this year.