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Addressing L.I. drinking water issues, concerns water quality in Nassau County. She explained that chemicals, such as nitrates, herbiA packed house attended a cides, pesticides and pathogens, meeting on April 17 with the are frequently found in the water supply. League of Women Voters of On Long Island, groundwaEast Nassau to learn about the pressing issues of water quality ter is the sole source of drinking water. Separatand consumption ed by sand and dirt, on Long Island, g roundwater is igniting a call to stored in geological action among confor mations called cerned community aquifers, which members. could store, transThe LWV held mit and yield the meeting at the usable quantities of Levittown Public water. As a result, Library, and invited chemicals that are Sarah Meyland to used for far ming lead a presentation often end up in the on the topic of drinking water supwater contaminaply. Additionally, tion and conservaNassau County has tion. For more than lateral saltwater 20 years, Meyland intrusion due to was a professor of SARAH MEYlAND excessive pumping sustainability at Professor of and the relative disNew York Universi- sustainability at New t y, w i t h a b a ck tance between fresh York University g round in water and saltwater. This quality. She also allows leaks of salt holds a degree in environmen- i n t o f r e s h w a t e r a q u i f e r s tal law from St. John’s Universi- responsible for 100 percent of ty and a master’s in water the drinking water for Long resource management from Island. Texas A&M. Meyland added that quantity According to Meyland, toxic and overconsumption of water chemicals in drinking water are the other issues facing Nasare the key issue regarding
By RACHEl BAMGBoSE
Herald intern
W
Courtesy Brian Webeck
A fire on April 15 ravaged Newbridge Inn, a popular bar and eatery on the North Bellmore-North Merrick border. Above, firefighters extinguished the blaze.
After fire, Newbridge Inn sees a surge of support from community By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo jdalessandro@liherald.com
Bellmore and Merrick residents were met with a shocking sight on April 15, when smoke poured out of Newbridge Inn, the popular bar and restaurant on Jerusalem Avenue, on the border of the hamlets. An electrical problem in the building’s basement ignited an early morning fire that left extensive damage. Within days, the community banded together to show Newbridge Inn’s staff support with a successful fundraiser, repaying the eatery for its decades of hospitality. A GoFundMe campaign, “Support The Newbridge Inn Staff — Post Fire Impact,” had raised over $24,000 as the Herald went to
press this week. The money will help pay the salaries of the staff as the building is cleaned and repaired. The fundraiser was organized by Steven Arriaga, president of the Wenshaw Park Civic Association, a nonprofit based in Merrick that is one of the oldest civic organizations in Nassau County. “Everyone wanted to do something,” Arriaga said. “All I did was take one step forward and then share it. Then that’s where the community happened.” There were over 200 donations, ranging from $5 to $1,000, according to Arriaga. “It’s everyone giving a little — that’s what makes it so beautiful,” he said. “It reminds me of what civic pride is all about, and the CoNtINued oN pAge 9
e take 450 million gallons a day out of the aquifer system to meet the needs of Long Island. That’s a lot of water.
CoNtINued oN pAge 17