In last week's edition of the Plainview Herald a photo was shown containing former water commissioner Bernard Chetkof as part of the Plainview Water District's 75th anniversary. At a time when petrochemical spills threaten the water supply of ground water suppliers throughout Long Island, it seems inappropriate that the Herald would honor a person who was directly responsible for the proliferation of this problem.

In the history of the Plainview Water District nobody has done more to mislead the public about the potential hazards of chemical contamination than Mr. Chetkof. After an investigation by the Nassau County fire marshal in 1993, it was discovered that during Mr. Chetkof's term of office, the Water District illegally dispensed gasoline adjacent to wells 1-1 and 1-2 and that the district stored fuel oil and other dangerous petrochemicals illegally adjacent to other well points around the district.

There was also an issue about the Water District's own underground gasoline tanks adjacent to 1-1 and 1-2. Although the gasoline tanks were not illegal inasmuch as they were "grandfathered," Mr. Chetkof, who claimed to be an environmentalist, should have known of the danger that the gasoline tanks posed, yet did nothing to protect the water supply until forced to do so by the Nassau County fire marshal.

When questioned about this dangerous situation in an open meeting by Jacques P. Wolfner, PE, a Plainview resident and recognized expert on water supply, Mr. Chetkof and fellow commissioner Donald Rosen denied everything. This can be verified by an inspection of the district's minutes at Town Hall under the New York Freedom of Information Law.

Fortunately for the Plainview residents, Mr. Wolfner went public with the results of the fire marshal's investigation. As a result, the Water District removed all underground petrochemical tanks, including the gasoline tank and dispensing unit at the main wells, under the guise that the tank removals were part of " ... the district's program to remove underground tanks ..."

Luckily, none of the removed tanks showed signs of leakage but I hate to think of the consequences that might have arisen had Mr. Chetkof been permitted to continue his charade.

At a time when ground water supplies are threatened by MTBE contamination, the choice to honor Bernard Chetkof by the Plainview Water District is a poor one.

Michael Tenenbaum, PE