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From the Office of New York State Comptroller
Thomas P. DiNapoli

FOR RELEASE: 
Immediately August 29, 2007.

DiNapoli Presents West Hempstead Water District with final payment
from State Oil Spill Fund

More than $1.2 million spent to clean up MTBE contamination

The West Hempstead-Hempstead Gardens Water District received its third and final payment from
the New York Environmental Protection and Spill Fund for the clean-up of four public wells
contaminated by methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), New York State Comptroller Thomas P.
DiNapoli announced today.

The $594,980 payment is the third installment of a $1.204 million damage claim settlement the Fund
negotiated with the water district in 2006. A significant portion of the settlement funded the
installation of a new drinking water supply well at an alternate location.

“This payment brings the District one step closer to finally operating at full capacity to supply
residents with clean drinking water,” DiNapoli said. “Timing is crucial when dealing with MTBE
because it spreads so quickly through groundwater and soil. By moving quickly to resolve the
District’s damage claims, we were able to provide vital funding for the construction of a new supply
well.”

“This is what happens when agencies work together to solve a problem,” said District Superintendent
Robert P. York. “The drilling of a supply well and putting it into service to meet the summer’s
demand was done expeditiously. The cooperation of all agencies involved was terrific.”

The West Hempstead-Hempstead Gardens Water District submitted a damage claim to the Oil Spill
Fund in September 2006, after four of the District’s ten public water supply wells were found to be
contaminated with MTBE, a gasoline additive which has been banned in New York since 2004. The
MTBE contamination resulted from a petroleum discharge that greatly reduced the District’s clean
water capacity. District costs included expenditures for sampling, installation of a new well system to
replace lost capacity, and modification of two wells to place them into the filtration and treatment
system.

The Oil Spill Fund, in partnership with the Department of Environmental Conservation, is also
acting to clean up the petroleum discharge. The Fund has spent more than $1.8 million remediating
the contamination, bringing the total costs to more than $3 million. Clean-up efforts are continuing
under the oversight of Department engineers.

The Oil Spill Fund has referred damage claim payment to the Office of the Attorney General who
will pursue cost recovery from those determined to be responsible for the spill.

About the Oil Spill Fund
The New York Environmental Protection and Spill Compensation Fund is administered by the
Office of the State Comptroller and pays for the remediation of petroleum spills conducted with the
oversight of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Individuals and
entities who sustain financial losses because of a petroleum spill may file damage claims with the
Fund.

The Fund’s major sources of revenue are a license fee charged on each barrel of petroleum sold in
New York State ($.08 per 42-gallon barrel), and reimbursement from petroleum spillers. When the
party responsible for a petroleum spill is identified, the Fund pursues reimbursement from that party
for claims paid in relation to that particular spill.

 _____________________________________________________________

Newsday, Thursday, August 30, 2007

Final payment made in wells contamination
BY JASON DEL RAY

The West Hempstead-Hempstead Gardens Water District has received a final payment the state to help
cover the cost of dealing with gasoline spills and contaminated drinking water wells.

The $594,980 payment is the third installment of a $1.204 million damage claim

_______________________________________________________________________

PUBLIC MEETING
NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
AND THE
WEST HEMPSTEAD WATER DISTRICT
Topic: MTBE
Location: West Hempstead High School
Date: December 4, 2006
Time: 7:00pm

_______________________________________________________

PUBLIC NOTICE

YOUR WATER IS NOW SAFE TO DRINK

June 28, 2006 4:15 P.M.

Dear Resident:

The West Hempstead Water District is pleased to announce that you can
now drink your water.  The Water District would like to thank its
residents for its patience and understanding during this difficult
situation.

As you know, on Monday, June 26, our test samples from the Water
District distribution system detected levels of MTBE slightly above
acceptable New York State Drinking Water standards.  The District
immediately shut down several supply wells at our Birch Street plant
that were found to be contaminated with MTBE.  MTBE is a gasoline
additive/oxygenate which was formerly added to all gasoline but is now
banned from use in New York State.  It is felt that a gasoline spill
from an unknown location has contaminated several of our wells.  Upon
receiving the results of the test indicating elevated levels of MTBE, we
immediately notified the Nassau County Department of Health, and the
appropriate news media.  The District personnel worked all night
flushing out any contaminated water and the public was notified not to
drink the water.

After collecting two (2) sets of distribution resamples and testing, we
have verified that the water in the system meets all drinking water
standards including MTBE. The problem was corrected and your West
Hempstead water supply now meets New York State Drinking Water
standards.

The District is currently pumping water from our wells that have not
been impacted by MTBE, in addition to receiving some water from our
neighboring water suppliers of the Village of Garden City and the
Franklin Square Water District.  The impacted wells will not be utilized
until effective treatment systems have been installed.

The District recommends that all homeowners run their faucets for
several minutes before drinking the water for the first time. Although
MTBE is a toxic substance, the limited exposure to the low levels of
MTBE should not have short or long term adverse health affects to the
public.

Once again, the West Hempstead Water District Commissioners commend the
citizens of the District for their cooperation, understanding and
patience during this period.  We also give a special thanks to our
employees who worked through the night to determine the source of the
problem and implement the proper solutions. For more information on the
details of the initial advisory and MTBE, you are invited to review the
material on the District’s Website at www.WestHempsteadH2O.com, or call
the Water District at 483-1180 or the Nassau County Health Department at
571-3323

Again, thank you for your cooperation.
West Hempstead Water District Board of Commissioners

______________________________________________________________________________
***UPDATE***
Release Date June 28 2006  8:30 A.M.
1. The first round of testing was completed and showed that the levels
have dropped below the standard.

2. We are re-sampling first thing this morning and should have the
results by this afternoon.
_______________________________________________________________________________

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  
Release Date June 26, 2006 10:00 P.M.

WEST HEMPSTEAD-HEMPSTEAD GARDENS WATER DISTRICT

PUBLIC NOTICE

DRINKING WATER PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY FOR MTBE

            The West Hempstead-Hempstead Gardens Water District has just found Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE) in the water distribution system, which serves West Hempstead and portions of Franklin Square , Garden City South and Cathedral Gardens and is advising residents not to drink the water.  MTBE was detected in two locations along Hempstead Avenue on June 26, 2006 at concentrations of 14 and 13 mg/L.  The samples were collected on June 23, 2006 .  A microgram per liter (mg/l) is equal to one part per billion.  Levels of MTBE slightly exceed the State standard of 10 mg/l, which is designed to protect against possible affects from long-term exposure of 70 years while drinking 2 liters of water per day.

            The presence of this chemical at these levels does not constitute an immediate health threat.  However, public water systems that exceed the standard must notify consumers, investigate the problem and implement steps for correcting the problem.  The Nassau County Health Department and the District are investigating the source of contamination.

MTBE is a fuel additive/oxygenate which was once used in gasoline to reduce carbon monoxide and ozone levels.  It has since been banned by the State of New York as a fuel additive.  MTBE in drinking water can affect taste and odor.  Long term exposure to MTBE in drinking water has been determined to be a health risk.

            The level of exposure to MTBE is relatively low.  However, some people may wish to take practical measures, which will reduce their exposure.  Individuals should use bottled water for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth and making ice.  Since the chemical tends to evaporate into the air, using kitchen or bathroom exhaust fans when using water will reduce the amount of chemical in the air.  Use of less water for bathing or cleaning will reduce exposure from breathing the vapors and through skin contact.

            The supply wells at the Birch Street Plant have been found to be the source of the MTBE and have been removed from service.  The source of the MTBE is thought to be from an unknown gasoline spill off site.  The interconnection with the Village of Garden City is being used to supply West Hempstead Water.  The Water District is currently flushing the system and is taking additional samples throughout the system.  The public is urged not to drink the water (and also advise others who may drink the water), until the contamination is completely removed from the system.  The public will be notified once all water quality samples are within New York State drinking water standards.

            For additional information, please contact Superintendent Robert P. York of the West Hempstead Water District at (516) 483-1180 or Peter Yatsyla, Office of Water Supply Operations of the Nassau County Health Department at (516) 571-3323.

Release Date June 26, 2006 10:00 P.M.