Friday, January 20, 2017
Vol. 77, No. 3
CELEBRATING CHANUKAH
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EPA studies contaminated Hicksville water well BY GARY SIMEONE
The Town of Oyster Bay Chabad held its annual menorah lighting in the Plainview shopping Center to mark the beginning of Chanukah. See page 9
Levittown Council WinterFest
The Levittown Community Council will hold its 16th Annual WinterFest on Saturday, February 11, from 11:30 AM to 4 PM This will be a day of free fun and entertainment includes free hourly raffles, face painting, temporary tattoos, entertainment and free crafts throughout the day. It will be
held at Levittown Hall, 201 Levittown Parkway, Hicksville. Free. All are welcome. FOR INFORMATION: levittowncouncil@ yahoo.com or contact Louise Cassano, event chair, at 516-735-5901 or at lc@louisecassano. com.
Nassau County Police arrested a Copiague man for allegedly possessing a stolen gun on Tuesday, January 10, at 10:56 pm in Plainview. According to detectives, 911 received a call for a domestic incident in Plainview. During the investigation, officers were made aware of a loaded .380 hand gun and determined the gun was reported stolen in Suffolk
County in 2015. The defendant, William Morrison, 43, of Copiague was arrested at scene without incident. Morrison was charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon 3rd degree and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property 4th degree.
Gun charge against Copaige man
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a survey last August stating that a man made chemical known as 1,4-Dioxane, was more prevalent in Long Island’s water supply than anywhere else in the state. This news comes after a December 2013 finding by the Hicksville Water District that one of its wells had the highest concentration of the chemical in the nation. Hicksville Water District Chairman, William Schuckmann, said that the well that detected 33 parts per billion, (amounts of contaminants detected in water,) has since been taken offline and is only used in emergency situations. “The compound was detected during preliminary research and the level found in the well remains below the drinking water standard established by the State for the protection of public health,” said Schuckmann. “We immediately discontinued the well from operation without direction or guidance from the state or EPA.” He said that the District was working with a contractor to test removal through a process that uses chlorine. “We are actively seeking a pilot treatment to reduce a slightly elevated level of 1,4-Dioxane found at Well 4-2. We are working with regulators to do everything to address the situation and will continue to keep the well offline. The District’s future plans for using the well will be predicated on whether or not the state or federal government establishes
regulations.” The well is one of 15 that the District has to serve its 16,000 accounts. 1,4-Dioxane is listed on the EPA’s list of probable carcinogens and there are fears that the chemical could expose people to a possible cancer risk. The chemical can be found in personal care products including shampoos and detergents and is a stabilizer in solvents. The EPA’s survey covered 28 public water districts on Long Island serving 2.97 million people, where the sole source of water is a network of underground aquifers accessed by public and private wells. Officials from the Agency say the appearance of 1,4-Dioxane is most likely a result of the filtering of the chemical through area landscapes from Long Island’s industrial era. “Chemicals used over the years for aviation, manufacturing and agricultural operations have most likely filtered through the area’s sandy landscape, polluting the water supplies and turning up frequently as contaminants in the Island’s more than 250 state and federal Superfund sites,” said Venetia Lannon, the State’s Deputy Secretary for the Environment. Maria Walsh, a Hicksville resident said the news was concerning and she hopes that her cancer risk has not been increased by bathing in and drinking local water supplies. “It is always concerning to hear something as simple as drinking water from your faucet or bathing in your tub can increase your risk of cancer,” said Walsh. “We have too many things to worry about these days as it is.”
Plainview family is first at new Coliseum PAGE 6 Hicksville VFW plans anniversary dinner PAGE 16