Orient Water Forum – Saturday, October 25th Poquatuck Hall 9:00am-12:30 pm

u003cp style=u0022text-align: center;u0022u003eu003cstrongu003eTHE ORIENT WATER FORUMu003c/strongu003eu003cbr /u003eHear about the future of Orient’s Water Resourcesu003cbr /u003eWill there be enough? Will it be drinkable? Are areas of Orient more vulnerable?u003c/pu003enu003cp style=u0022text-align: center;u0022u003eu003cstrongu003eSaturday, October 25thu003c/strongu003eu003cbr /u003eu003cstrongu003ePoquatuck Hallu003c/strongu003eu003cbr /u003eu003cstrongu003e9:00-12:30 pmu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003enu003cpu003eRead Orient Association's comprehensive u003ca href=u0022https://divi5.orientassociation.org/waterreportu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noopeneru0022u003eu003cstrongu003eWater Studyu003c/strongu003eu003c/au003e and our u003ca href=u0022https://divi5.orientassociation.org/orient-water-report-fast-facts/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noopeneru0022u003eu003cstrongu003eFast Factsu003c/strongu003eu003c/au003e about water in Orient.u003c/pu003enu003cpu003eHosted by the Orient Association, speakers include experts from the United States Geological Survey, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, the NY State Dept. of Environmental Conservation, the Suffolk County Water Authority, CDM Smith, Shelter Island, and the Town of Southold.u003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eIntro to the Orient Water Projectu003cbr /u003eu003c/strongu003eu003cstrongu003eTime:u003c/strongu003e 9:00am-9:10amu003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eSpeakers: u003c/strongu003eTony Asch, Orient Association President and Daniel Watts, OA Board Memberu003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.eastendbeacon.com/some-more-clarity-on-orients-water-woes/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noopeneru0022u003eNews Coverage from the East End Beaconu003c/au003eu003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003ca href=u0022https://northforksun.com/orient-water-forum-highlights-twin-threats-contamination-and-salt-water-intrusion/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noopeneru0022u003eNews coverage from the North Fork Sunu003c/au003e.u003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003ca href=u0022https://divi5.orientassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/STARTICLE1.jpgu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noopeneru0022u003eNews coverage from the Suffolk Timesu003c/au003eu003c/pu003e

u003cpu003eu003cstrongu003e“Forever Chemicals” and Other Contaminants In Orient’s Fresh Wateru003cbr /u003eu003c/strongu003eu003cstrongu003eTime:u003c/strongu003e 9:10am-10:10amu003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eTopic: u003c/strongu003eNearly half of the wells in the Orient Village Survey Area had PFAS levels over NY State’s maximum contaminant level (“MCL”). 18% of all Orient households have nitrate levels over the MCL.  Learn more about testing, filtration and cleanup efforts.u003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003ePanelistsu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003enu003culu003enu003cliu003eJason Hime, Principal Public Health Engineer of the SCDHS Department of Water Resources, Suffolk County Department of Health Servicesu003c/liu003enu003cliu003eAndy Rapiejko, Associate Hydrogeologist, Suffolk County Department of Health Servicesu003c/liu003enu003cliu003eRobert Bellotti, Project Manager in the NY State Dept. Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), Division of Environmental Remediationu003c/liu003enu003cliu003eMelissa Sweet,New York State DECu003c/liu003enu003c/ulu003enu003cpu003eNYS DEC offers ways to u003ca href=u0022https://divi5.orientassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/152273-Orient-Forum-Handout.pdfu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noopeneru0022u003etrack PFAS cleanupsu003c/au003e.u003c/pu003e

u003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eSea Level Rise and Salt Water Intrusion in Orient Wellsu003cbr /u003eu003c/strongu003eu003cstrongu003eTime:u003c/strongu003e 10:20am-11:20amu003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eTopic: u003c/strongu003eSea level in Orient is projected to rise 47 inches by 2100.  The rise will impact many aspects of life in Orient, not least the aquifer that provides Orient’s fresh water. When will this be something Orient needs to address?  Who will be impacted the most and when is this likely to occur?u003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003ePanelistsu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003enu003culu003enu003cliu003eFred Stumm, Research Hydrologist, United States Geological Surveyu003c/liu003enu003cliu003eMary Anne Taylor, Vice President, CDM Smithu003c/liu003enu003cliu003eJoe Finora, Town Engineer, Shelter Islandu003c/liu003enu003c/ulu003e

u003cpu003eu003cstrongu003ePublic Water - Does Orient Need It?u003cbr /u003eu003c/strongu003eu003cstrongu003eTime:u003c/strongu003e 11:30am-12:30pmu003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eTopic:u003c/strongu003e Orient’s households and farms currently rely on onsite wells for fresh water.  The Suffolk County Water Authority has recently included a water main extension from East Marion to Orient in the environmental review for its planned North Fork Pipeline project.  What are the pros and cons of public water and are there alternatives?u003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003ePanelistsu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003enu003culu003enu003cliu003eJoe Pokorny, Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Operations, Suffolk County Water Authorityu003c/liu003enu003cliu003eBob DeLuca, President and CEO, Group for the East Endu003c/liu003enu003cliu003eAl Krupski, Supervisor, Town of Southoldu003c/liu003enu003cliu003eJoe Finora, Town Engineer, Shelter Islandu003c/liu003enu003c/ulu003e