The State Legislature heretofore has found that the potable water for
the northern portion of the Great Neck Peninsula is derived from aquifers
which are the sole source of water for all of Long island and that the issues
of contamination and conservation of the aquifers and the need to better manage
the groundwater system on the Great Neck Peninsula, which had been operated
by a private utility in 1985, are of statewide concern. By reason thereof,
the State Legislature heretofore created the Water Authority of Great Neck
North ("Authority"), with the purposes of protecting, preserving and enhancing
the quality and quantity of the water within the Authority's supply area and
to serve as a model and leader for other water suppliers to better manage,
conserve and protect the groundwaters within and outside their respective
supply areas. After investigating water conservation, regulation and management
programs, the Authority has recommended that all of the municipalities within,
or partially within, the Water Authority of Great Neck North District adopt
regulations prohibiting drilling, digging or tapping into any aquifers or
other subsurface source of water, in order to avoid the possibility of contamination
to the aquifer systems, pumping which could adversely affect saltwater intrusion
into the public supply wells and unregulated overpumping which could adversely
deplete supply facilities and affect the delicate balance of pumping from
public supply wells. Upon review of such proposed water conservation measures,
the Board of Trustees hereby finds and determines that it would be in the
best interest of the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the
Village to adopt the regulations contained in this chapter.
No person, firm or entity shall drill, dig or tap into any aquifer or
other subsurface source of water within the Village without having first obtained
a permit from the Board of Trustees. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no permit
for such activity shall be required where such activity is conducted by the
Water Authority of Great Neck North or the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation.