South Nassau residents demand progress in public water takeover effort
During a public meeting held Monday night at the Lynbrook Public Library, ratepayers voiced anger over high water bills and repeated service issues under Liberty Utilities
More Stories
Frustration is mounting in southern Nassau County, where residents are calling for quicker action in the effort to convert their privately operated water system into a public utility.
During a public meeting held Monday night at the Lynbrook Public Library, ratepayers voiced anger over high water bills and repeated service issues under Liberty Utilities — and demanded updates on the timeline for a long-promised public takeover.
“People are being overcharged by hundreds and hundreds of dollars,” said Berta Weinstein, president of the Merrick Civic Association.
Customers of Liberty Utilities say they are paying up to five times more than their neighbors who receive water from public sources. Many have also reported frequent water main breaks.
“We’re stuck with a private water monopoly that makes record profits while we’re still paying property taxes,” said Dave Denenberg of Long Island Clean Air Water & Soil.
But change could come in the form of a purchase. The South Nassau Water Authority (SNWA), a public agency formed to explore the acquisition, is currently in negotiations to buy Liberty’s local water system and convert it into a publicly owned utility. But residents say the process has dragged on too long.
John Reinhardt, a member of the South Nassau Water Authority board, acknowledged the delays but explained that the complexity of the negotiations has prevented the board from offering a concrete timeline.
“Until we are at a point that I have a number that we are this close to shaking hands on, I am not comfortable giving a timeline," Reinhardt said.
Liberty Utilities did not send a representative to the meeting. However, a spokesperson provided a written statement, saying, “As a policy, Liberty does not discuss specifics about ongoing negotiations. We can tell you we are negotiating in good faith.”
