By virtue of the Royal Charter from Charles II to
James Duke of York dated December 22, 1663, the Dongan Patent from
Governor Thomas Dongan to the Town of Brookhaven dated December 27,
1686, and the Constitution of the State of New York enacted on April
20, 1777, the Trustees of the Freeholders and Commonalty of the Town
of Brookhaven, now known as the "Board of Trustees," were entrusted
with title to all subterranean waters within the boundaries of the
Town of Brookhaven and are vested with the duty and obligation to
protect these valuable waters so that they are not appropriated, polluted
or removed in such a manner as to diminish the supply of water to
the detriment of the Trustees of the Freeholders and Commonalty of
the Town of Brookhaven.
