Bethpage Water District

In May l923 the Central Park Water District was created to provide residents with a public water supply. The Special Improvement District was operated by three elected Water Commissioners. The first storage tank was a 100,000 gallon wood structure which was used until l953 at which time the present day tower located on Adams Avenue was constructed. In l957, the wooden storage tank was torn down.

Fire hydrants have been in use since 1923 and kept up to date by the water district.

The first encounter with pollutants was in the l940's when the problem of chromate waste was successfully resolved. In the l960's two of the three wells became contaminated with nitrates and one with chromates at Grumman's Plant 1. In l981 the Bethpage State Park and the Water District negotiated a deal resulting in the purchase of seven acres of unused land, not far from Charles Campagne School, for construction of a new well and pump station.

The Commissioners, elected by the community, and the Water District work together to provide our community with safe good tasting water. Bethpage water has been voted the Best Tasting Water in N. Y. State until chlorine was added to the water, following Nassau County Board of Health regulations in 2010, which effected the taste of the water.

Information from "Bethpage 1957-1987 A Generation of Growth & Development" by Donna Joannou Kunzig