A bipartisan bill would provide $10 billion over five years to help communities remove harmful drinking-water contaminants, including PFAS, and keep water bills affordable, as local officials on Long Island face mounting costs to upgrade water infrastructure.
The Protect Clean Water Act was announced by Congresswoman Laura Gillen on Oct. 22 at the Rockville Centre Water Department building on Maple Avenue, behind the village’s water tower. Gillen was joined by Rockville Centre Mayor Francis X. Murray, Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy, Hempstead Village Mayor Waylyn Hobbs Jr., and Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment.
The legislation would authorize funding through the federal Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds for PFAS and other emerging-contaminant remediation. The programs’ previous funding, including $5 billion provided through the 2021 infrastructure law, expired at the end of fiscal year 2026.
PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” have been linked to certain cancers and birth defects. The American Water Works Association estimates that drinking-water treatment investments could cost $2.7 billion to $3.5 billion annually.
“Keeping dangerous chemicals out of our water and lowering working family costs, again, should never be a partisan issue,” Gillen said, describing the measure she is introducing with Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania.
Rockville Centre currently has no issues with PFAS or 1,4-dioxane in its drinking water, Murray said, but the village is planning a third iron filtration plant to modernize its infrastructure and prepare for potential contamination.
“Having the right infrastructure in place before a problem arises is essential,” Murray said. He said the project would help protect public health and maintain residents’ confidence in their drinking water.
In Hempstead, testing identified an issue with 1,4-dioxane in the village’s water, Hobbs said.
“Safe and clean drinking water is not a luxury. It’s a necessity for all the residents in our communities that we represent,” Hobbs said, adding that contamination is a regional concern, not just a Hempstead problem. He also said federal funding could help prevent treatment costs from becoming a greater burden on taxpayers.
Freeport faces another costly water-infrastructure challenge. Kennedy said the village must excavate more than 8,200 water service lines to identify lead pipes ahead of a Nov. 1, 2027, federal compliance deadline.
Kennedy estimated excavation would cost about $4 million, with another $16.5 million potentially needed to replace lines, bringing the total to approximately $20.5 million.
“Either you’re going to increase taxes or hopefully we’ll get some grants,” Kennedy said.
Esposito said communities have options for treating contaminants but need financial support to put the technology in place.
“We must stop this pollution at its source, but we also need to clean up what’s already there,” Esposito said. She said federal funding would help communities deliver drinking water that is safe and affordable.
Gillen also cited the work of Hempstead resident and activist Mary Florence Purdie, who collected thousands of signatures after raising concerns about water safety in her neighborhood, Gillen said.
The legislation aims to help local governments address contamination while limiting the costs passed on to residents.
