Farmingdale mayor touts Suffolk water plan

Farmingdale Mayor George Starkie challenged his constituents to "find something wrong" with a Suffolk County Water Authority proposal to run the Nassau village's water system.

It's an opportunity that has no downside, he said.

The alliance -- which would be the first time the agency has crossed county lines in its 60-year existence -- would offer substantial savings, Starkie said at Monday night's board of trustees meeting. The village would also receive $4 million in water infrastructure improvements from SCWA, he said.

The five-member village board voted unanimously to continue pursuing the deal and seek state legislation to allow a cross-border operation. Farmingdale operates its own water district with two employees, who would be absorbed by SCWA.

Resident Steve Wilson, 60, voiced concern over how binding an agreement would be, but said infrastructure improvements would benefit the village.

"The water issue in the village is probably the biggest liability that we have," he said.

Joe Carosella, 64, worried the savings were too good to be true. "It just doesn't sound right," he said.

Farmingdale would retain ownership of its water department, pipes, pumps and other equipment, but SCWA would operate them in what likely would be a 40-year agreement.

The agency would charge a flat rate of $1.52 per 1,000 gallons, compared with current village rates of $2.35 to $3.40 per 1,000 gallons. What each of Farmingdale's 2,400 households pay would be set by the village.

SCWA chief executive Jeff Szabo said he did not know whether other Nassau County water districts will seek similar arrangements.

"Right now, we're fine tuning the proposal and we have staff members studying the village's water infrastructure," Szabo said in a statement Tuesday. "We don't expect to have a formal proposal ready for several months."

Village Trustee William Barrett said he is still in talks with Bethpage Water District about competing plans to run Farmingdale's system, but Starkie said Bethpage's rates can't compare with SCWA's. The Bethpage district could not be reached for comment Tuesday.