SCWA wins $1.68M grant to bring public water to Mattituck homes amid PFAS contamination

Suffolk County Water Authority has secured a $1.68 million grant to bring public water to 60 Mattituck homes in a neighborhood where testing revealed widespread contamination of private wells by toxic “forever chemicals.”

The award, announced Monday, covers 70% of the estimated $2.4 million Reeve Avenue water-main extension. The New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation awarded the money through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

SCWA is pursuing additional federal grants to cover the remaining $720,000, with the goal of completing the project at no cost to homeowners. Monday’s announcement did not include a construction timetable.

“Securing outside grant funding is essential to bringing public water to neighborhoods facing private well contamination without placing an unfair financial burden on homeowners,” SCWA Chairman Charlie Lefkowitz said in a statement.

The award follows SCWA’s second application for funding. Its application for the same project was denied last year.

The proposal calls for installing 3,850 feet of water main, along with service taps and private service lines, across a section of Mattituck that includes Reeve and Westphalia avenues, Pike Street, New Suffolk Avenue and County Road 48.

Kevin Keyser, owner of Hamptons Silverleaf Design and Landscape, has advocated for the extension.

“For families and business owners in our neighborhood, knowing what is in the groundwater has been a constant source of concern,” Mr. Keyser said. “Having access to public water means peace of mind after years of uncertainty for our neighborhood.”

The Suffolk Times previously reported on contamination in the area. PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are synthetic compounds known as “forever chemicals” because they resist breaking down in the environment.

According to SCWA’s announcement, Suffolk County Department of Health Services testing identified 59 private wells in the Reeve Avenue survey area. Of the 43 wells sampled, 24 tested at or above New York’s drinking-water limit of 10 parts per trillion for PFOA or PFOS, two types of PFAS.

SCWA CEO Jeff Szabo said this represents some of the highest levels of PFAS in private wells in the county.

“Testing in the Reeve Avenue area showed PFAS concentrations more than 100 times the state standard,” Mr. Szabo said in a statement. “Connecting these 60 Mattituck homes to our distribution system will permanently eliminate their exposure to these chemicals and provide a tested, reliable supply of high-quality drinking water.”

Enacted in 2021, the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests more than $50 billion nationwide—including over $2 billion allocated to New York State over five years—to upgrade drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, replace lead service lines and address emerging contaminants such as PFAS.

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said addressing groundwater contamination is an “urgent public health priority” across the county. 

“Expanding access to public water is the most effective way to protect families relying on impacted private wells,” said Mr. Romaine in a statement. “I thank SCWA for doing the work to secure this funding and for its continued commitment to bringing clean drinking water to Mattituck residents.”