Behind the Faucet

Nov., Dec., 2002; Jan. 2003

From the Chairman
It's Tough Work, But Somebody's Got To Do It!
Cold Weather Tips For Around The Home

From The Chairman...
ADHOC Committee On The Water Authority Completes Review

Approximately one year ago, at the direction of the Presiding Officer of the Suffolk County Legislature and the Ad Hoc Committee on the Water Authority, the Budget Review Office (BRO) began a year long exhaustive review of the Authority’s operations including, but not limited to, rates, personnel, budgets, day-to-day operations, policies and procedures, expenses; just about every aspect of our business for the past ten years. You will recall from previous columns that the Suffolk County Water Authority is not part of the county government, but rather an independent, not-

I am pleased to announce that after the most extensive review of any department or agency by the BRO, the Water Authority was found to be managed and run in a competent and professional manner. We were not surprised. With water rates that are 40 percent below the national average and the highest category bond rating of any revenue producing Authority in New York State (which makes borrowing less expensive and helps keep rates down), we knew that our performance-based management approach coupled with a philosophy of continuous improvement (never resting on our laurels) was working.

The Budget Review Office did comment on two administrative concerns one of which pertains to the Legislature in what is correctly the only actual oversight responsibility of the Legislature, that dealing with the performance of Board members. The other concern will be dealt with by the Authority Board.

There were a few recommendations made by the BRO relating to the operations of the Authority. The BRO suggested that we modify an existing business meal reimbursement policy to reflect our actual practice and that we obtain a New York SPEDES permit for our sanitary system and a certificate of occupancy for our Coram Operations Center. We are currently acting on both these recommendations. There were a few other minor findings by the BRO that resulted from information anomalies and differing interpretations of tax codes.

We appreciate the valuable time and effort the BRO has expended reviewing the voluminous records that we provided. We also appreciate the BRO’s general acknowledgement that our finances, reporting mechanisms, policies and procedures are sound and working well.

In the end, our customers can be assured that they are receiving the highest quality water, provided in a cost effective way. I would like to thank the staff of the Authority for making that happen, and the BRO for recognizing that this is the case.

It's Tough Work, But Somebody's Got To Do it!

Have you ever driven past a utility crew working outdoors on a balmy summer day and thought how great it would be to be work outdoors in the sun and fresh air? For those of us who work in the sealed air-conditioned work environments that are so prevalent in today’s workplaces, it is an enticing thought. But there’s a flip side to that warm sunny weather, it’s the type of weather that brings cold, snow, sleet, ice, and stiff winds. It’s the type of weather that can be numbing and brutal when you’re knee deep in water repairing a water main to restore service to a community. But water is a necessity of life and regardless of the time of day or the season, we’re there and on the job!

During the winter months, as the ground freezes and thaws and the soil moves, underground water mains are subject to forces that can actually cause water mains to separate or break. When this happens, customers in the immediate area lose their water service; road flooding can take place (especially dangerous in freezing temperatures); and roads can collapse. When a water main failure is detected at our Control Center or called in by a customer, we immediately dispatch a crew from our Construction Maintenance department to begin repairs and restore service.

Under the best of conditions, water main repairs can be difficult; in the winter the task takes on even greater difficulty because of the frozen ground and the depth of the water main to be repaired. Backhoes and other heavy power equipment are often replaced by hand digging to avoid other utilities such as gas, telephone, cable, and electric lines that were installed in the vicinity of our water mains. This can add to the difficulty of the repair and the time needed to restore service. Deeper

Water main repairs require a wide range of construction personnel to deliver and operate equipment, deliver supplies, make water main repairs, control traffic and ensure crew safety. Once a repair is complete, water mains often need to be chlorinated to eliminate any bacteria that may have been introduced during the initial break. While our goal is to restore water service as quickly as possible, water quality and crew safety are a priority.

It’s not unusual for our Construction Maintenance crews to respond to 200 or so water main breaks during the cold winter months. So the next time you enviously pass one of our crews working on a warm sunny day, remember that the same crew will probably be wet and knee deep in icy water in a few months and thinking about the warmth and comfort of a job behind a desk!

Cold Weather Tips For Around The Home

With the cold weather comes the risk of frozen, or worse, broken water pipes in your home. There are a few simple things you can do to keep inside pipes from freezing, and can save you energy and repair costs, but do them as soon as possible:

SUFFOLK COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY
P.O.Box 38, Oakdale, NY 11769
(631) 589-5200
Michael A. LoGrande, Chairman
Melvin M. Fritz, D.O., M.D., Secretary
John E. Gee, Jr.      Eric J. Russo, Esq.
George Proios