Nick LaLota, Ed Wehrheim tout federal funding for public water hookups, road repairs in Smithtown

More than two dozen homes in Smithtown whose wells were found to contain dangerous chemicals will soon be connected to public water, officials said Friday, as they announced $1.1 million in federal funding for the hookups.

The funding is part of a $6.1 million federal package Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) and Republican Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim announced for the town during dual press conferences there. Most of the money is allocated for townwide road repairs, but roughly $1.1 million will go toward extending municipal water service to 26 single-family homes on Landing Avenue and Oakside Drive.

In 2019, the Suffolk County Health Department identified private wells in those areas as containing PFAS chemicals.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are chemicals often used in manufacturing products such as cookware and textiles. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that PFAS exposure could lead to increased risks of some cancers and other health problems.

At Peter Nowick Sr. Memorial Park after the press conference on the water grant, John Vigliante, 49, who moved with his family to Oakside Drive in 2011, said in an interview that he had installed a filtration system for his home “thinking it was safe” to drink the water. Years later, county officials said they had found 1,4-Dioxane, which is used as an industrial solvent, in the water of his home’s private well.

The source of the contamination is undetermined, according to town officials. County officials including those at the health department didn't immediately return requests for comment Friday.

Vigliante was told it would cost roughly between $20,000 and $30,000 to get a home with contaminated wells connected to clean public water.

“I went with that information to some of the neighbors, and they said, ‘Oh, wow! We can’t afford this. It’s impossible,’ ” he said. Acting on the advice of county officials, Vigliante said, his family switched to bottled water for their safety.

However, he added, “We still shower in this water. Everything about it, what goes into your pores, nobody can tell you [if it’s safe] … it was very stressful.”

For those reasons, Vigliante said, he and his neighbors welcomed being connected to clean, safe water soon, adding it was “such a joyous day for my family.”

“It’s the year 2026, I think everybody, no matter what town you live in, deserves clean water and peace of mind,” he said.

Wehrheim said the town had investigated how to remediate the water issue, including through grants and other funding options. Eventually it connected with LaLota’s office.

The work is expected to start this fall, according to Smithtown Councilman Tom Lohmann, who town officials said helped spearhead efforts.

“For the homeowners here, this project is not just about infrastructure. It’s about peace of mind," Wehrheim said. "It’s about protecting public health. It’s about knowing that when you turn on your tap, the water that your family is drinking is safe to drink.”

LaLota said the funding “is a key step in the right direction for better water quality for our Smithtown residents.”

The remaining $5 million in funding will go toward resurfacing and restoring roadways across town.

Robert Murphy, the town’s highway superintendent, said at an earlier press conference at the Smithtown Highway Department that town officials will be discussing within the next few days a formal plan to begin road repairs.

The town is looking at targeting Brookside Drive, Old Willets Path and Plymouth Boulevard. “Those are major thoroughfares that are in pretty bad shape, and that’s another reason why this $5 million is so, so important,” Wehrheim said.

Wehrheim said this past winter “was the worst ...  we’ve had” in terms of road damage in at least 12 years.

Murphy, citing “significant damage” to roads and drainage systems across town from the harsh winter, said the investment “helps us address critical infrastructure needs without placing additional burden on the taxpayers.”