Hicksville Water District personnel have discontinued use of well 4-2 and hold the well in a reserve status
In response to recent reports throughout the country on reports of 1,4-Dioxane, the Hicksville Water District is working to keep the community well informed. The compound 1,4-Dioxane was detected at Well 4-2 in Hicksville during preliminary research that is occurring around the country. Hicksville Water District personnel have discontinued use of well 4-2 and hold the well in a reserve status as normal demands can be satisfied by other District wells. The District’s future plans for using the well will be predicated on whether or not the state or federal government establishes regulations. At no location on Long Island has the levels of 1,4-Dioxane exceeded the safe drinking water standard of 50ppb.
As the USEPA continues its program of evaluating whether or not to regulate currently unregulated contaminants, District personnel have discontinued use of the well and hold it in reserve only for high-demand periods—normal demands can be satisfied by other District wells. The District’s future plans for using the well will be predicated on whether or not the state or federal government establishes regulations.
“Our actions are merely precautionary as we have enough capacity to meet demand with other wells. We are committed to providing only the highest quality of water possible,” stated Board of Commissioners Chairman William Schuckmann. “Unless the system demand becomes so great from extreme drought or firefighting demands, the District will keep the well in reserve and meet community demand with our other facilities. To date, we have kept the well completely offline since January 2015.”
1,4-Dioxane is a synthetic industrial chemical that has been found in groundwater at sites throughout the United States. Its presence is caused by wastewater discharge, unintended chemical spills, leaks or wrongful disposal practices. The District will continue to conduct tests, allowing staff and industry engineers to sample and track levels on a quarterly basis to monitor contaminants. These measures will provide an opportunity to determine the most advanced and effective treatment processes available to water suppliers should a drinking water standard be set for1,4-Dioxane .
“It’s important residents understand this result is based on a nationwide survey conducted by the USEPA into the prevalence of unregulated contaminants,” added Rich Humann, President and CEO of H2M, the engineering firm for Hicksville Water District. “There is currently no specific drinking water standard set for 1,4-Dioxane and the level found in the well is below the current state standard. However, the District acted proactively and dropped Well 4-2 to a reserved status. The District has contacted both the USEPA and the NYSDEC for guidance and will proceed accordingly once the Agencies have determined the next steps.”
Well 4-2 had a detection of 34 micrograms per liter, well below the default standard of 50 micrograms per liter. The District routinely tests its water supply at a frequency far greater than what is required by local, state and federal health departments for regulated contaminants, in addition to specific unregulated substances.
For more information on the Hicksville Water District, please visit www.hicksvillewater.org or add the District on Facebook at facebook.com/HicksvilleWaterDistrict.
