Oyster Bay and Hempstead Announce Recommendations for Water Agency Revival

Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray and Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto jointly announced the recommendation of five individuals to serve on a reactivated Southeastern Nassau County Water Authority Friday afternoon.

The two supervisors have been seeking to re-constitute the board following a public outcry over the rates charged by Aqua, which serves  parts of Massapequa and several other Long Island towns.

Under the New York Public Authorities Law both town boards are allowed to appoint members to the authority, which was created by the state in 1991 to explore the area's water supply options.

The board was abandoned in 1997 and there have been some legal questions as to whether it can be revived, but Murray and Venditto announced in January, that they were putting it back together, believing they have the power to take over the company.

"Despite the apparent decision of the previous Water Authority board not to pursue a public takeover, it's time to take a fresh look at the issue," Murray said.

"Given changes in the economic climate and the 12 percent rate increase recently granted to Aqua over a three-year period, a reconstituted Water Authority will look at how to best serve Aqua ratepayers armed with new, updated information," added Venditto.

Two Massapequa residents have  been recommended to serve on the Authority. They are Edward "Woody" Kennedy, a lifelong Massapequa resident and former Town of Oyster Bay Parks Commissioner and  Walter D'Amato, a community activist who has served as President of the Nassau Shores Civic Association for over a decade.

The Hempstead appointees  are John Reinhardt, the Town's  Water Commissioner, Richard Ronan a Professional Engineer and the town's outgoing Sanitation Commissioner and John Molloy an engineer who is the Chairman, President and CEO of H2M, architectural, engineering and environmental consultants. 

The Hempstead and Oyster Bay town Boards have to approve the recommendations.

 "The members who are being recommended for this board are more than just well intentioned people,"  Venditto said. "They are Aqua ratepayers with the background and skills needed to conduct a thorough study and make an informed determination on whether a public takeover of a private water company will provide ratepayer relief."

Aqua has argued that because they are a private company, they've had to pay taxes that public utilities don't have to pay.

"We have explained that the primary difference in our rates and those of other area water providers is the fact that approximately 35 percent of our water bill is comprised of taxes," a company spokeswoman said in a statement.

"All of our rate requests are reviewed and approved by the Public Service Commission, which is charged with balancing the interests of the consumers and the utility."

"With regards to the authority appointees, they should serve at the will of the public they are charged with serving," the spokeswoman said.