PWD Receives $5.4 Million For Contaminant Treatment Funds will cover the construction of an advanced treatment facility

The Plainview Water District (PWD) is in receipt of a grant award as part of New York State’s Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA) totaling $5.4 million. The funding will help with costs associated with constructing a state-of-the-art water treatment facility at the District’s Plant 7 well sites for the removal of emerging contaminants. To date, the Plainview Water District has secured more than $34 million in grants from New York State over the past five years.

“We are thankful to Governor Hochul and the state representatives that have made this funding available as it will help provide our residents with the highest quality water at a lower cost,” said PWD Chairman Marc Laykind “The Plainview Water District is proud of our actions and the progress we’ve made to complete required treatment systems to remove emerging contaminants, such as 1,4-dioxane and PFAS, from our groundwater. This grant funding allows us to complete these treatment projects while minimizing the financial burden on our residents.”

Construction at Plant 7, located on Washington Avenue, is currently underway and, when completed, represents a $6.8 million investment into the treatment facility. Over the next couple of months, the community will see the treatment facility take shape with an estimated completion date of the fall of 2023. This grant award has been crucial to minimizing financial impacts on residents as the District has been able to reallocate funding sources and use this grant money and its emerging contaminant reserve funds to minimize the amounts borrowed, which will save residents money in future debt costs.

“The significant level of funding we have received from the state to improve treatment facilities throughout the District is much appreciated and will allow us to continue providing the POB community with high quality water for decades to come,” said PWD Commissioner Andrew Bader. “Our team here is extremely proud of the fact that we mobilized to get treatment systems up and running without ever needing a compliance extension for the State’s new regulations. We are appreciative of the continued support from our region’s elected officials.”

The Plainview Water District currently has six advanced oxidation process (AOP) treatment systems in use across its service territory and has been delivering water treated for emerging contaminants ahead of the new strict water quality standards established by New York State, which went into effect in 2020. The treatment system, known as the Advanced Oxidation Process, when coupled with granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration tanks, is the only New York State Department of Health approved method of removing 1,4-dioxane from the public drinking water supply. Securing more than $34 million in grant funding has been crucial to absorb a substantial investment associated with constructing the required treatment facilities at impacted plant sites throughout the District.

“It has been a very humbling experience to see all of the details and work that goes into creating a new, state-of-the-art treatment facility and the speed in which these tasks are getting completed,” said PWD Commissioner Michael Chad. “The actions of this board and the District as a whole should provide comfort to every POB resident in the sense that the community’s water quality is our foremost priority. Our current and future residents all benefit from the actions and support happening at this time.”

—Submitted by the Plainview Water District

Preparing For Passover At Congregation Beth Tikvah

During recent days, Congregation Beth Tikvah Hebrew School, located in Wantagh, learned how to make matzah and charoset. Rabbi Moshe Weisblum and Mr. Henry Arkin led a Model Seder for the Hebrew School and guests. This experience of learning the prayers for the children was very educational as they took the journey from the past to the present.

—Submitted by Jo-Ann Hertzman

Hicksville Collects 48 Pints Of Blood At Collection Drive To Help Save Lives

To help hospitals meet the pressing need for blood, Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Councilwoman Laura Maier partnered with the New York Blood Center to collect 48 pints of blood at a Collection Drive at the Town’s Hicksville Athletic Center.

“Blood donations are extremely important to help secure necessary blood transfusions for patients. As blood supplies remain critically low and the New York Blood Center recently announced an Emergency

Blood Shortage, it is so important to help those in need and host these Blood Drives as often as we can,” said Supervisor Saladino. “Just one pint of blood can save up to three lives. I thank everyone who donated the gift of life at our recent blood drive.”

To donate blood today, visit https:// donate.nybc.org/donor/schedules/zip for more information and to make an appointment.

—Submitted by the Town of Oyster Bay

Funds Raised In Support For Ukraine

The Charitable Kidz group at Saint Bernard’s Catholic Church in Levittown recently delivered a check for $8000 to Saint Michael’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Uniondale who passed the funds on to Dzherelo, a Children’s Rehabilitation Center in Lviv, which has been caring for orphaned and disabled children since the war began a year ago. The funds were collected at Saint Bernard’s on Super Bowl Sunday in soup pots as part of the “Souper Bowl of Caring” weekend. Rev. Yaroslav Dumansky, pastor of Saint Michael’s said, “On behalf of the Ukranian people, thank you for your generous donation to support the children of Ukraine. Let us unite in prayers for the restoration of peace.”

Rev.

—Submitted by Saint Bernard’s Parish accepts the donation from representatives from

(Contributed photo)