Two drinking water wells in Glen Cove have been shut down after they were found to contain Freon 22.

Glen Cove officials say they shut down the wells as a precaution. Environmentalist Adrienne Esposito, of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, says the city did the right thing.

"It's a chemical that has some serious health ailments, such as organ damage, breathing problems, nervous system damage. So the water district needs to be vigilant about making sure those wells stay closed or making sure they filter that water," Esposito says.

Glen Cove Mayor Timothy Tenke is assuring residents that their water is clean and safe. He says the city is now working on fixing the problem using a method called GAC, or granulated activated charcoal. The hope is to get the affected wells back up and running again before the summer, when there's the surge in water demand.

City officials say they'll know in about two months if the GAC method will take out the contamination. If not, the city will consider using air strippers to take care of the problem.