Suffolk water agency rejects link plan

The Suffolk County Water Authority last week voted 5-0 to reject a proposal from Saltaire Village to allow the agency to link parts of its water system in adjacent Kismet and Fair Harbor through the village -- after learning it would cost more than $1 million worth of cement.

Officials explained that this linkup on Fire Island would have cost the authority $1.1 million of the overall $2.2 million it would take to rebuild village sidewalks -- after installing about $400,000 worth of pipe.

"It came down to a budgetary issue," said James Gaughran, water authority chairman. "It would have given us some operational improvement, but it wouldn't have helped many customers."

-- Rick Brand