Bethpage-Tribune_1980-08-07

              BETHPAGE OLD BETHPAGE PLAINVIEW
BETHPAOE UIB
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ISLAND TREES PLAINEOGE SEAFORD
VOL. 15 NO. 18 For The Week of August 7-13,1980 20 cento per copy
People In The News
OFFICER OF THE DAY: Hempstead Town Councilman
Peter King [leftl presents a Citation to Lt. Peter Reilly
[2nd from left] of the Hempstead Village Police Depar­tment
and a resident of Seaford, in recognition of his
retirement after 24 years of devoted service to the village
police force. Also attending the presentation ceremony
are the President of the Hempstead PBA Raymond
Rudiger [2nd from right] and Assemblyman Raymond
McGrath [right].
Luke J. Smith (right) of the Bethpage -Headquarters
(Broadway) St. Vincent de Paul was given the First
Annual Sanford J. Lenz Memorial Community Service
Award by Rev. Clive Chilton (left) in behalf of the Health
& Welfare Council of Nassau County, Inc., this past week
at their meeting. Smith has served as Executive
Secretary of the St. Vincent de Paul Society for thirty
years.
Gene Cubeta of Bethpage, a member of the Long Island
Lighting Company Energy Makers, entertains the
residents of the A. Holly Patterson Home for the Aged and
Infirm in Uniondale. The Energy Makers is a volunteer
performing troupe of LILCO employees. When he is not
working with the Energy Makers, Gene is a control
technician at LILCO's generating station in Island Park.
Bethpage Water Safe
According to the Bethpage Water District officials you can be assured that your drinking water meets all county, state,
and Federal drinking water standards and guidelines and is safe to drink as it is delivered to your home.
The Bethpage Water District contends that the recent report, "Toxics on Tap", by New York Public Interest Research
Group, Inc., has sensationalized known data concerning quality of our water. The report implied that contaminated wells
have continued to be used to supply the public. This is not true. Any well found to be contaminated has been immedi­ately
and voluntarily removed from service.
The Long Island Water Conference, an organization of the
Water Supply Industry on L.I., also takes exception to the
report's suggested use of bottled water. In fact, bottled water
quality at times may be questionable. In 1978, according to
the Nassau County Health Department survey of 35 brands of
bottled water, 12 of the brands were found to exceed the State
Health Department's limits for at least one contaminant.
Among the cantaminants found in bottled water were ar­senic,
fluoride and chloroform. It should be noted that some
bottled waters are considered beverages /and are not
required to meet State Health Department guidelines.
* The Water Conference does not mean to imply that there is
no problem with groundwater contamination. There cer­tainly
is and they are in full agreement with the efforts to
bring the problems to the attention of the public. However,
we deplore the manner in >which it was done. Public
education is warranted, not public hysteria.
Water quality of the' seven water supply wells presently in
use in the Bethpage Water District is excellent without any
indicated need for water treatment except corrosion control.
Each of the seven water supply wells presently in use in the
Bethpage Water District is tested annually for the following
constituents: 22 Volatile Halogented Organics, 11 Pesticides,
2 Herbicides, 9 Heavy Metals, such as Mercury, Silver, Lead,
etc., Fluoride, Cyanide, 4 Physical characteristics and 20
Chemical Characteristics.
Thirty-six samples from various points in the distribution
system are tested monthly for the presence of Coliform
Bacteria. Each well is also tested for the presence of
Coliform Bacteria .
In addition to the testing required by the regulatory
agencies, the Bethpage Water District performs additional
analyses when there is an indication that a particular con­stituent
may be present. This is done to ensure good quality
water is being delivered to its consumers.
The Bethpage Water District will continue to monitor its
supply wells for the aforementioned contaminants and for
other contaminants when there is the slightest indication that
other contaminants may be present and/or when technology
allows.
Dealing with quality problems is not new for the Bethpage
Water District. In the 1940's the district had a well field
contaminated with chromate wastes. In the late 1960's, the
district deepened two of the three wells at Plant No. 1 which
had become contaminated with Nitrates. Presently, the
Bethpage Water District is constructing a new well and pump
station to replace a well that became contaminated with
organics. This well should be ready for service before the
summer of 1981.
District Attorney
Denis Dillon Honored
Nassau County District Attorney Denis Dillon received the
1980 National John F. Kennedy Memorian Medal from the
Ancient Order of Hibernians in America. The highest A.O.H.
award is being given to Dillon at the National Convention now
being held at the Americana Hotel in Miami, Florida.
According to the Medal Committee, the award is given to
an individual "Outstanding in his or her field of endeavor."
Dillon received the award for his work towards human rights
and the unification of Ireland.
The nomination of Dillon, made by Martin Higgins of the
A.O.H., reads, "When Ireland will be free, as she will be
some day, I know of no man who will have done more towards
that freedom than Denis Dillon"
Dillon said he was honored by the award and would con­tinue
to fight for human rights in the north of Ireland and
elsewhere.
The Bethpage Water District will continue to seek the most
economical solution to continue to deliver the highest quality
water to its consumers. If it becomes impossible to construct
new wells to obtain good quality water within its boundaries,
the district will explore the various means of treatment to
find the most reliable and economic solution.
The New York State Department of Enviromental Con­servation
has obtained money from the "USEPA" to
determine the extent of the Long Island ground water
problem and to develop a ground water management and
protection program. It is hoped that this study will delineate
the potential areas of contamination, prevent further con­tamination
and will provide all surveyors with a viable
planning guide.
We hope any doubts you may have had concerning the
quality- of the water in the Bethpage Water District are
hereby eliminated. Lets us once again assure you that every
precaution will be taken to continue to deliver good quality
water to all our residents of Bethpage.
Board of Water
Commissioners
Bethpage Water District
Another Way Of Seeing
Oyster Bay Town Councilman Gregory W. Carman [right]
lets his fingers do the seeing as he learns to use an Optacon,
an electronic probe which enables blind people to read
printed material. His instructor is Peggy Ricciardi, a clerk
with the Town's Planning and Development Department.
The device contains a tiny camera which transmits
vibrations in the shape of letters onto the operators index
finger as it is moved along printed matter. Using it, Peggy
can read about 30 words a minute. Frederick Ippolito [left] of
Bethpage, Commissioner of Planning and Development,
holds Peggy's dog, Tessa, who accompanies Peggy on her
walk to work everyday from her home several blocks from
Town Hall. A special typewriter which will enable Peggy to
check her work as she types is being ordered for her by the
Town to expand her scope of responsibility.