On December 14, 2010, Gary Brosnan was re-elected as Water Commissioner for the South Farmingdale Water District. Mr. Brosnan was appointed Commissioner in 2008, and he’ll be starting his new three year term as Secretary on January 1, 2011. Gary is a 45 year community member of North Massapequa.

On behalf of the South Farmingdale Water District and Board of Commissioners, I’d like to warn residents to be aware of false and misleading statements and claims recently made about Long Island water quality.  A local organization has been leaving solicitous door tags and flyers with area residents which offer free water testing.  The promotional materials contain misleading information, which may alarm uninformed residents. While the South Farmingdale Water District cannot forbid the company from continuing its marketing ploys and erroneous claims, the District has made it clear that the water delivered to your home meets or exceeds water quality standards. In keeping with New York State Law, the South Farmingdale Water District publishes a water quality report annually and releases the report to the community (by mail and web) each May.

Flyers from this local company indicate that they will test your water for FREE and they will return the test samples and indicate that the resident should invest in a filtered water system.

As a loyal, community-minded public service, the South Farmingdale Water District ensures that our local water is held to the highest quality standards and continually meets or exceeds NYS standards for water quality.  All of our water is tested by a third party, and all results are available on our website at www.sfwater.com.  Or, you may call and request a copy by mail at: (516) 249-3330.  The SFWD has been providing clean, quality water to the communities it serves since 1931, and we’ll continue to do so for generations to come.  Thank you once again for your time and being such loyal consumers.

The South Farmingdale Water District began construction on a new water treatment system to impede the impending plume of contamination heading towards the District. SFWD determined that it could not wait or tolerate any further delays from the United States Navy to build the necessary treatment facilities, so the District was approved for an $18 million dollar bond from the Town of Oyster Bay.

The bond covers design, construction, operation and maintenance of the treatment facility. Construction began in late March 2010. These proactive measures were taken to protect the SFWD water supply and to shield consumers from paying for the treatment facility. If the treatment facilities are not constructed in time, it is possible that SFWD would be forced to close down or restrict wells at Plant 1 (Langdon Road, Farmingdale). The wells at Plant 1 provide nearly 20% of the District’s well capacity, which is needed to meet existing water supply and fire hydrant flow demands. Early in 2010, the District reached a settlement with the U.S. Navy to pay for the treatment facilities, but have not yet received the check from the U.S. Department of Justice. When the SFWD receives the check, the monies will be used to retire the bonds and pay for future operation and maintenance costs. All monies associated with the capital cost portion of the settlement will be used to pay for treatment, thereby minimizing any cost burden on taxpayers.

As reported by SFWD, the District was approached in November 2000 by the United States Navy regarding a widespread groundwater contamination plume flowing in a southerly direction towards several SFWD well fields. This plume is the result of soil and significant groundwater contamination containing volatile organic compounds from the Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant at Grumman in Bethpage, NY from several decades prior. The U.S. Navy agreed that if contamination from their site was identified in the outpost monitoring wells they would pay for all future costs that water suppliers would incur for the required treatment facilities or abandonment and replacement of the respective wells. The Navy developed a water contingency plan in connection with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) that resulted in the Navy constructing outpost monitoring wells upgradient of Plant 1 in SFWD.

In 2004 the outpost monitoring wells upgradient of Plant 1 indicated that they were impacted by contamination from the Grumman/Naval sites at levels above the trigger values agreed to by the U.S. Navy, DEC and SFWD. The Navy had been in general accord with the necessary treatment facilities; however, final resolution and execution of the settlement agreement was not a priority within the U.S. Department of Justice until 2009.

Finally late last year, after five years of deliberating, the two parties reached an agreement and the U.S. Navy settled the case with SFWD. Moving forward, the District could not defer the construction of the treatment facility any longer and wait for the Navy to provide the necessary funds to meet this critical need. The SFWD Board of Commissioners continued to express its concern that one or more of the wells could be impacted before the construction of the treatment facilities is complete. Please remember all water is safe to drink.

During the course of the settlement, the District received an overwhelming amount of support from local civic leaders, Town of Oyster Bay elected officials and United States Senator Charles E. Schumer. “We’re happy with the settlement, but we’re still waiting for the check,” commented Ralph Atoria, SFWD Water Commissioner. “Our number one priority is to protect our consumers’ precious water supply and that’s why we had to bond the project so we can begin construction. It’s our responsibility to provide high quality water, and this is not a time to be reactive and wait for the Navy’s cooperation.”

The South Farmingdale Water District today has issued a clarification and response to recent reports about dramatic differences in water costs in adjacent communities.

SFWD is a public utility, run by local commissioners.  The district runs a fiscally sound operation and is held accountable to the community it serves.  Because it is a local government, non-profit entity, there is no profit motive.  Rates are set by actual operational expenses.

SFWD commissioners and some employees have life-long roots in the community, and great care is given to maintaining the highest quality of water at the lowest price possible.

The facts are simple:  Unlike Private water utilities, SFWD water rates are about 2% below the national average (source: American Waterworks Associations) and that the consumer water tax is less than 1.7% of the total tax bill.

The South Farmingdale Water District has been maintaining and delivering an uninterrupted supply of the water to customers since 1931.

To that end, the District ensures public health and safety, actively promotes the conservation of our most precious resource, cooperates with all local and New York State authorities, and pledges to fulfill this mission in an efficient, economical and environmentally sound manner.  Customer service is provided to the community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

About the South Farmingdale Water District

Since 1931, SFWD has been providing clean, quality water to the communities it serves, including South Farmingdale, North Massapequa, and parts of Bethpage, Seaford, and Massapequa Park. For more information please contact the South Farmingdale Water District’s office at 40 Langdon Road, Farmingdale, NY 11735.  Telephone: (516) 249-3330.

The South Farmingdale Water District (SFWD) is stepping up promotion of their public service program of providing its residents with free water bottles to fill up with great tasting tap water. The campaign aims to save consumers money, protect the environment, and help raise awareness of the high quality of water in the district.

Suffolk County Water Authority recently announced a similar program, which the South Farmingdale Water District has had in place for a number of years. With both utilities actively giving free water bottles to their customers, Long Island is among the leading regions nationally in the water industry to embark on such an effort.

Savings to the consumer can be immense. The average consumer pays about $1.46 for a 20-ounce bottle of water from a convenience store. By comparison, $1.25 pays for about 1,000 gallons of water from the SFWD tap. Using those figures, the 1,000 gallons of bottled water would cost $9,344!

SFWD provides water for over 44,000 people in South Farmingdale, and the quality and characteristics of that water has rated to be among the best in the country, surpassing government standards. Charlie Prucha, Superintendent of SFWD comments, “No water bought on the shelf can measure up to the quality of our local water supply. It is constantly monitored for quality and safety.”

It has long been known that plastic bottles, especially in the numbers sold, are an environmental nightmare. They are seen discarded along roadsides, in parks, and in public places as unsightly garbage. Recycling helps, although the energy consumed to process them is expensive in the light of rapidly rising fuel costs. If they are tossed in the trash, they take up vast amounts of landfill space.

National figures tell us that in 2005 there were 2.3 billion bottles of water consumed in New York State alone, and 80% of those bottles were not recycled. In light of these figures, the significance of the SFWD bottle giveaway is tremendous, in savings to the consumer, in protection to our environment, and in cutting energy costs needed to manufacture and recycle commercial single-use water bottles.

Superintendent Prucha also remarks, “We’re glad to do our part to help the environment.  How many times do you see plastic water bottles on the side of the road? That’s why we urge our residents to come down to the district and request a free water bottle and fill it with the best tap water around.”

The free water bottles are made from recycled, non-leaching durable plastic, and can be used many times. All that is required is a simple washing to keep them reusable. Residents can pick-up their free water bottle at the water district’s main office at 40 Langdon Road, in Farmingdale. There is a limit of two water bottles per household. For more information, contact the district at (516) 249-3330.

South Farmingdale Water District Receives Senator’s Support and Urges Navy To Fulfill its Commitment to Pay For Capital and Operating Costs Associated with Proposed Water Treatment Plants in South Farmingdale.

United States Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and the South Farmingdale Water District (SFWD) today issued a strong request for the United Sates Navy and Department of Justice to immediately follow through on the Navy’s obligation to pay for the capital and operating costs necessary to build and operate water treatment facilities at two South Farmingdale public water supply sites that will be impacted by contamination.

The United States Navy operated the Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant in Bethpage, New York for several decades that resulted in soil and significant groundwater contamination containing volatile organic compounds. The SFWD was approached in November 2000 by the United States Navy relative to a widespread groundwater contamination plume* flowing in a southerly direction toward several SFWD well fields. The Navy developed a water contingency plan in connection with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) that resulted in the Navy constructing outpost monitoring wells upgradient of Plants 1 and 3 in SFWD.

The Navy agreed that if contamination from their site was identified in the outpost monitoring wells that they would pay for all future costs that the water suppliers would incur for the required treatment facilities or abandonment and replacement of the respective wells. In 2004, the outpost monitoring wells upgradient of Plants 1 and 3 indicated that they were impacted by contamination from the naval plant site at levels above the trigger values agreed to by the Navy, DEC and SFWD.

The SFWD has been pursuing a settlement with the Navy for nearly five years and while the Navy has been in general accord with the necessary treatment facilities, final resolution and execution of the settlement agreement has simply not been a priority within the US Department of Justice.

This concerns the officials at SFWD because the contaminants are “knocking on our door,” in the words of Business Manager Len Constantinopoli.

In the interim, the SFWD Board of Commissioners have continued to express their concern that one or more of the District’s wells may be impacted before it can design and construct the treatment facilities that all parties have agreed are necessary, despite the fact that currently, all water served by the District is safe to drink.

The water treatment systems proposed would provide the same quality of water consumers enjoy today, but action has to take place as soon as possible. The District cannot defer the construction of treatment facilities any longer waiting for the United States Navy to provide the funds needed to meet this critical need.

While the SFWD Board of Commissioners intends to work diligently with Senator Schumer’s office to expedite the final agreement with the U.S. Navy, two plans of action have been put into effect by the District to protect its water supply and to shield its consumers from paying for the treatment facility.

First, SFWD has been approved to bond up to $18 million to begin design and construction of the necessary treatment facilities. If the treatment facilities are not constructed in time, there is the potential that SFWD would need to close down or restrict wells at Plant Nos. 1 and 3. The four wells at these two sites provide nearly 40% of the District’s well capacity, which are needed to meet existing water supply and fire flow demands. The loss of any of these wells could adversely impact SFWD’s ability to meet peak and emergency pumping requirements, thereby impacting the ability to deliver an adequate water supply to its 45,000 consumers. While the District would prefer to have the money in hand from the Navy prior to building the treatment facilities, it can no longer tolerate any further delays and must proceed with the project. All proceeds associated with the capital cost portion of the settlement will be used to pay for treatment, thereby minimizing any cost burden on its taxpayers.

Second, The District met with civic associations and asked for their help. These community-minded groups provided a tremendous amount of support and positive action that has helped augment SFWD efforts during these proceedings. With the help of Senator Schumer, the SFWD Board of Water Commissioners, elected officials and civic organizations, SFWD is looking for the US Department of Justice to resolve this matter quickly and without hesitation.

For more information please contact the South Farmingdale Water District’s office at 40 Langdon Road, Farmingdale, NY 11735. Telephone: (516) 249-3330.

*The Plume is 12,100 feet long, 9,600 feet wide and 580 feet deep.

During this time of extreme heat, the South Farmingdale Water District urges all of its residents to conserve water whenever possible. Though Long Island is not suffering from a drought, below are some helpful hints for residents to take into consideration during the dog days of summer:

• Use water only when it’s necessary and turn it off when finished.
• Hosing down driveways and sidewalks is prohibited. Use a broom instead.
• Limit time spent on watering the lawn. The average lawn requires 1-2 inches of water per week.
• Repair any leaky faucets in the home.
• Run dishwasher and washing machine only when they are fully loaded.

“During the summer months, it’s important for residents (and businesses) to try to conserve water as much as possible,” said Ralph Atoria, Commissioner, South Farmingdale Water District. “We’re not necessarily asking people to change their lifestyle, but be more conscious about water consumption. When our customers do their part to conserve water, it helps in our effort to keep our water rates down to a minimal cost.”

Reminder: According to Nassau County code, lawn watering may be done only on even days if your street address is an even number, and only on odd days if your address is an odd number. Also, county code prohibits you from watering your lawn between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

After years of legal negotiations, South Farmingdale Water District and Massapequa Water District have reached a settlement over the Liberty Superfund Site.

The Principle Responsible Parties (PRPs) will reimburse the South Farmingdale and Massapequa Water Districts for the costs of permits, construction, design, sampling, and installation of the outpost monitoring wells, which were installed by the two water districts in 1997.

The outpost monitoring wells were placed upstream from Plant #2 Site on Lourae Drive, South Farmingdale. The monitoring wells provide an early warning system to alert both Districts if contamination from the U.S. EPA Superfund Site at the Liberty Industrial Site was approaching – therefore enabling the Districts to react to potentially contaminated water in an expedient amount of time. The last round of sampling showed absolutely no signs of contamination from the site, but both Districts will continue to monitor the situation.

The Liberty Site has been the focus of cooperative activity for cleanup for decades. The South Farmingdale Water District and Massapequa Water District jointly worked on the project, to control costs and protect the taxpayer.

The mission of the South Farmingdale Water District has always been to protect the taxpayers in its community from bearing the cost of cleanup operations, as well as to ensure a high quality water supply now and for future generations. The commissioners want to assure community members that they will continue to be vigilant in carrying out this objective.

Local residents requesting more information are invited to contact the South Farmingdale Water District’s office at 40 Langdon Road, Farmingdale, NY 11735. Telephone: (516) 249-3330, or visit www.sfwater.com.

I’m proud to say that for over 75 years, the South Farmingdale Water District has produced and delivered extremely high quality water at prices that rank lowest among most public services.

As ‘cost-to-consumer’ for other utilities climb year after year, South Farmingdale customers can rest assured that access to safe and reliable water is stabilized at only about a dollar a day, significantly less than most homeowners’ costs for telephone, cable, Internet service, heat or electricity.

Besides being the lowest priced utility, water accounts for the lowest portion of a town resident’s tax bill when compared with other services. If fact, the average homeowner contributes an extremely low percentage (less than 1.7%) of their annual taxes to their local water supplier, as compared to over 60% for schools.

Our water district personnel are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to ensure that safe drinking water is available to you at all times. The District’s team of dedicated and knowledgeable water service providers acts as a safeguard against any possible contaminations, and they are prepared to repair water main breaks at a moment’s notice.

We are here to serve you. So if you have any questions, concerns, comments or suggestions, contact us by phone anytime at (516) 249-3330, or visit our website at www.sfwater.com and click on the ‘Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)’, or contact us by email.