Chemical contamination of aquifers on Long Island, New York

On Jun. 21, 1978, the US Environmental Protection Agency determined that the aquifer system underlying Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, N.Y., is the principal source of drinking water for these counties and that if the aquifer system were contaminated, it would create a significant hazard to public health. This “sole source” designation made pursuant to Section 1424 (e) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (Public Law 93‐523) requires that a federal agency may not commit funds (through a grant, loan guarantee, contract, or otherwise) to any project that may contaminate the aquifer system through a recharge zone. Although this designation has only rarely been utilized to influence the commitment of any federal funds on Long Island, it does emphasize the unique hydrologic situation there, where almost three million people are served exclusively with groundwater developed on an island surrounded by salty water.