Levittown resident Ethan Irwin attended a meeting of the Nassau County Coalition of Civic Associations earlier this summer that sparked great concern for his community's water supply.
Irwin heard a presentation from Massapequa Water District Commissioner John Caruso on the contamination of Long Island aquifers after years of waste disposal from the Bethpage Grumman site. After further research of his own, Irwin felt more needed to be done and he turned to the Levittown Property Owner's Association for support.
"I'm not a science guy, I'm just doing some research of my own," said Irwin. "I was vaguely aware of some contamination before I went to that meeting, but I wasn't aware of the aquifer system and the water flow underground and how it works in Long Island. That meeting opened my eyes to the state of our environment and the state of our drinking water."
"All I can do is tell you what I know, what I've learned and what I've been told," he continued. "My understanding, which is contrary to what the Town of Hempstead Water District Commissioner is saying, is that there is a well south of Hempstead Turnpike and east of Wantagh Avenue that showed traces of contamination."
After hearing all Irwin compiled, residents were concerned.
"We need to keep in consideration that this is one of our natural resources," said Tom Kohlman. "It's the only drinking water Long Island has and it needs to be cleaned up, not only for us, but for our children and grandchildren. We have no other source coming into Long Island but these aquifers."
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In other news, LPOA members Ilene Lubin and Tom Caro encouraged residents to attend the Oct. 3 hearing scheduled in front of the Town of Hempstead Board of Zoning Appeals regarding the construction of condominiums at the site of the Crocus Lane property.
"Everybody has to show up to oppose this construction," said Lubin, who has spent the last few months distributing flyers in efforts to educate her neighbors. "If they are allowed to build the first set of condominiums, they will be able to build a second set, which means 300 to 400 extra cars a day on Orchid Road. It will be like living on Hempstead Turnpike."
The proposed 46-unit housing development would be located on an empty parcel of land located alongside the Long Island Motor Parkway in Levittown, which closed in 1938.
The zoning that is being sought from the town board would change the current single-family zoning (LRPD) to condominium/multi-family zoning (CA) for the Crocus Lane site, the town said in a statement.
"They want to remove this property from the LPRD, which means we would have absolutely no control over it and the laws and regulations in place for the LPRD are gone," Caro added. "Queens will be coming here if we don't stop it."
Caro continued on to urge residents who cannot attend to write a letter to the Board of Zoning Appeals voicing their opinions prior to the meeting.
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