Plumes from the Brookhaven Landfill: BLARG (Brookhaven Landfill Action Remediation Group) has been busy lately!

By John McNamara

The Brookhaven Town Waste Management Department held an Information Meeting about two plumes that have been traced to the town landfill. A plume in an aquifer refers to a migrating body of contaminated groundwater.  It forms when hazardous substances leach into the ground, dissolve into the water, and spread outward from a source. These plumes contain PFAS “forever chemicals.”

The town offered five possible solutions for the plumes. BLARG members are advocating for a pump and treat solution that would actually deal with the contamination in the plumes.

The only source of drinking water in Long Island is groundwater from the aquifer.

The town had to present its solution to the DEC after evaluating the input from the community. The town went for the least expensive solution (no surprise there!): install some more monitoring wells and offer to provide the few homes (that still use private wells) the option of connecting to the Suffolk County Water Authority. The Water Authority monitors and treats the drinking water supply in compliance with the state standard. 

At the May 28th, 2026, town board meeting, Town Supervisor Daniel Panico addressed those who criticized this solution as a “cheap” way of dealing with the plumes. He contended that the plumes originated from Cell One (there are six cells at the landfill). That cell was inherited by the town from New York State in the 1970s. 

Supervisor Panico has spoken previously about the poor quality of the landfill liner that the state used for cell one. I think he believes that these plumes are really the responsibility of the state and that town taxpayers should not have to pay a huge amount (as would be required for a pump and treat approach) to deal with this problem.

The DEC will get back to the town with regard to its proposed solution. It looks like this will be an ongoing battle between the town and the state. The members of BLARG will continue to monitor this situation and try to protect the local community.

To find out more, contact John McNamara.