A report prepared by engineers for the Village of East Williston Park states that water provided by a proposed village water system consisting of two wells and a 100,000 gallon storage tank would cost less than water currently provided by the Village of Williston Park.
“Depending upon financing terms and water demand condition,” the design firm H2m architects + engineers of Melville states in its report, the implementation of an option recommended by the firm “will be more cost effective [for the village] to produce water rather than to purchase the wholesale rate from the Village of Williston Park.”
The report, which was scheduled to be presented at a meeting in Village Hall on Thursday, said the projected savings were based on a conservative projection of usage that would “increase significantly when annual maximum demand conditions are experienced” and also if the wholesale rates charged by the Village of Williston Park increased.
A copy of the report by H2m archiects + engineers was posted on the village website.
In a letter to residents, the Village of East Williston announced plans two weeks ago to build an “independent water supply system” in Devlin Park that would replace water provided by the Village of Williston Park at rates which have been the source of contention for three years.
The letter, which was signed by Mayor David Tanner and the four village trustees, said the project would include a 70’ by 50’ water system built partially below grade along East Williston Avenue but would not include an overhead or elevated water tank. Village officials also said the construction of the water supply system would not disrupt use of the ball fields at the park, but would use the area currently occupied by tennis courts and would require their reconstruction once the project was completed.
The Village of Williston Park has raised the price of water to East Williston twice in the past three years. In 2011, the Village of Williston Park raised the price of water to East Williston from $2.99 per thousand gallons to $3.83 per thousand gallons in 2011. They followed with an increase from $3.83 per thousand gallons to $4.33 per thousand gallons in 2012.
The Village of East Williston trustees filed lawsuits against Williston Park following both increases after a break down in negotiations between the two sides.
In early July, a state Appellate Court found in favor of East Williston in the first lawsuit, stating that Williston Park should have held a public hearing prior to imposing the first rate increase in 2011. But the court found in favor of Williston Park in the second lawsuit, stating that Williston Park was within its right to raise the water rates in 2012 to $4.33 per thousand gallons.
Village of East Williston officials said they would not comment on their proposal until the presentation was made in Village Hall.
In its report, the Melville-based firm said East Williston projected an annual cost for water between $594,246 to $613,473 based on lowest and highest annual demands.
H2m presented six different options in its reports for constructing a water system.
“The goals,” they state in the report, “is to provide high quality and ample quality of drinking water at the lowest possible cost.”
Based on those goals and Nassau County Department of Health requirements, the firm recommended a proposal labels “Option 2B” that calls for supply wells to pump through a filtration system to the water system and a ground storage tank with booster pumps used to pump water from the ground storage tank to the distribution system.”
The firm estimated the first year cost of the system – for both capital and operating expenses – to be $581,246. This, the report states, is based on a 30-year bond at 3 percent interest.
The village said in its letter that the project was undertaken more than two years ago but only recently received required design approvals from the Nassau County and state departments of health, giving the village the go ahead to move forward with the project.
“Today, with plans and approvals in place, East Williston is at an historical crossroad, with an opportunity to finally have a permanent and independent solution to our water supply needs,” the letter states. “As costs and regulations continue to become more stringent, it is an opportunity which will not present itself again for a very very long time, if ever.”
The trustees said in the letter that Village of Williston Park officials have consistently resisted efforts to negotiate a reasonable rate.
The Village of Williston Park sent East Williston a bill for $600,000 – $300,000 for the withheld rate increase money and $300,000 for interest and penalties – following the court decision.
The Village of East Williston made a payment of $239,000 to Williston Park to cover the cost of the increase rates, minus $61,000 accrued under the pay hike that the court ruled to be improper. East Williston officials also announced that Williston Park was not entitled to penalties and interest and they would fight any effort to collect them.
Williston Park recently responded by filing a notice of claim for the dispute money,
Efforts to obtain a comment from Village of Williston Park were unavailing.
The report said a “2.05 acre parcel located on the north side of East Williston Avenue between the Long Island Railroad to the west and Bengeyfield Drive to the east is sufficient in size to accommodate the supply wells and required infrastructure,” which according to the letter issued by the East Williston Board of Trustees is Devlin Park.
The report states that the Village will need to obtain sanitary easements for the supply wells from the surrounding property owners to install parts of the system on land that the village already owns.
Provisions will be required upon completion of the water supply to ensure that in the event of an emergency water can still be supplied to residents. The report details standby power in the form of a diesel engine containing at least three days worth of fuel in the event that electricity is not available.
The report also states that operational and legal reviews will be required to construct a new water supply, including legal counsel to determine if there are any particular legislative requirements related to the partial conversion of a public park into an area used for water supply.
Reach reporter Bryan Ahrens by e-mail at bahrens@theislandnow.com or by phone at 516.307.1045 x204. Also follow us on Twitter @theislandnow and Facebook at facebook.com/theislandnow.
