12169_nswca_in-depthlook_v6When the glaciers created this fish-shaped, roughly 120-mile long island, they also left behind a most prized and remarkable gift that often goes unnoticed. Since it is subsurface, there’s little wonder why so many take it for granted, but it is truly a resource of incomparable value…Long Island’s magnificent aquifer system. So simple and yet so complex, it supplies water to the island’s millions of residents; and the Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association, celebrating its 35th anniversary of service as a chief steward of quality water from those aquifers, has had a huge presence in the use, conservation and sustainability of the system.
NSWCA Celebrating Thirty Five Years Of Service
Long Islanders live atop one of Mother Nature’s most unique aquifers, duplicated virtually nowhere else in the world. The Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association (NSWCA) is celebrating its 35th Anniversary of service to the residents of Long Island. Organized and chartered in 1981, the NSWCA is comprised of elected water commissioners from 21 Nassau County and Suffolk County water districts who are stewards of this aquifer and invaluable resource.
The organization was originally formed to provide a forum for those topics not normally addressed by other water industry organizations. As a result, the NSWCA’s vision is regional and island-wide, while the hands on, day-to-day management of the member districts is hyper-local.
The NSWCA mission revolves around three objectives:
- Resource sustainability that ensures the protection and efficient management of Long Island’s natural aquifer groundwater supply.
- Economic sustainability that calls for a sound financial strategy to support system operating and capital needs while maintaining affordable water rates.
- Organizational sustainability through a well-structured, efficient organization with the necessary skills and tools to provide exceptional value to customers and communities of all 21 districts.
Cap: Leadership and Voice: With bylaws originally adopted in 1981, the Association has spoken out on numerous topics important to all Long Islanders, ranging from water conservation and sustainability, to aquifer protection and adaptation of best policies and procedures in the management of water resources. Above all, the NSWCA and its member districts have always focused on maintaining the highest standards of water quality for the communities they serve.
The hands-on knowledge and experience of the participating commissioners makes the NSWCA unique because they see the situation objectively. They are confronted daily with the need to provide sufficient quantities of water, the need to maintain compliance to strict standards, and the need to clearly see and prepare the path to the future. As a result, the organization is continually seeking new scientific information and methodologies, not the least of which is standardization of administrative and operational policies and procedures.
The leadership of the NSWCA tends to be progressive, as it is composed of elected officials. For example, each member district has by law three commissioners who oversee their respective districts. Each elected commissioner serves a three-year term, with one position open for election each year. The NSWCA elects its leadership from these members. As a result, over the course of 35 years, the NSWCA Board Of Directors has had representatives from all 21 member Districts serve. Presidents have been elected from 17 different member Districts.
The NSWCA has wielded significant influence in the achievement of its goals by virtue of its counsel and by the demonstrable record of successful fulfillment by its member districts. Some comments from past presidents and members follow.
L to R, former NSWCA Presidents John Hirt (South Farmingdale Water District); Pasquale Eliseo (Locust Valley Water District); current NSWCA President Raymond J. Averna (Massapequa Water District); former NSWCA Presidents Ralph Pugliese (Franklin Square Water District); Robert McEvoy (Oyster Bay Water District); Howard Abbondondelo (Albertson Water District); and Gary Brosnan (South Farmingdale Water District).
Karl Schweitzer: “During my term as NSWCA President, (2007), I am most proud of steering the membership in the darkest of hours when the political climate was attempting to consolidate and take away local control of our water districts,” said Karl Schweitzer, currently a Hicksville Water District Commissioner. “I proudly testified as a panelist in a 2007 Conference hosted by then Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman at Hofstra University,” Schweitzer said. “I spoke about the importance of local control, where neighbors have a voice in how services are provided, and how local taxes are used. Many points were made, but none more important than those made by our residents who believe the water commissioners overseeing their districts have been approachable, responsive to community groups and neighbors and want it to remain that way.”
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Howard Abbondondelo: Howard Abbondondelo, NSWCA President in 2014, and currently a Commissioner with Albertson Water District, explained that his term saw a new identity and new community outreach come into play. “During my presidency we recognized the need to better explain who we are and what we do through a campaign of outreach. We were able to modernize our communications. In fact, we brought the organization into the 21st century. Our new identity was clarified beginning with a new NSWCA logo where there had not been an official one previously. Further, the creation of an official NSWCA website allowed us to keep the general public as well as the communities served by the NSWCA member districts informed and up to date.”
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Thomas P. Hand: Massapequa Water District Commissioner Thomas Hand, who served as (2015 NSWCA President) appreciates the NSWCA’s leadership in protecting natural aquifers for generations to come.
“The NSWCA is a proactive organization that provides training, access to the latest technology, review of relevant news and access to our elected legislators for all members. Each participating district magnifies their knowledge and the ability to reduce overall cost of water production operations by sharing diverse ideas. Last year NSWCA engaged local officials, and together we were able to thwart New York City’s invasive efforts to reactivate wells in Queens that would have negatively impacted the Long Island aquifer.
Every dollar that comes into our member water districts is spent to foster a safe, efficient and cost effective system,” Hand said. “Each local Commissioner is committed to maintaining the value that we have grown accustomed to. I am proud to be affiliated with the men and women who effectively represent the needs of their water district. We are also proud of the NSWCA’s role regarding preparation to effectively weather the historical Superstorm Sandy with no loss of service to any of our consumers.”
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Raymond Averna: As the 34th President of the NSWCA, I had the advantage of a wealth of prior experience to guide me. Because we represent 21 special districts united by a common cause, and because we are connected with every other water provider on Long Island, our view of water management is quite wide and yet has a a prime focus of providing for today and for the future. Conveying accurate information in this instantaneous digital world is perhaps the most challenging part of being president. The information we provide to our membership is crucial to the operational effectiveness and management of water districts. In addressing the greater picture, we support conservation and sustainability through education and training, provide legal advice and information on industry-wide litigation legislative advocacy.
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Past NSWCA Presidents
Thomas Hand 2015 (Massapequa)
Howard Abbondondelo 2014 (Albertson)
Gary Brosnan 2013 (South Farmingdale)
Robert McEvoy 2012 (Oyster Bay)
Timothy Stellato 2011 (Carle Place)
Ralph Pugliese 2010 (Franklin Square)
John Sullivan 2009 (Bethpage)
Jeffrey Losquadro 2008 (Albertson)
Karl M. Schweitzer 2007 (Hicksville)
Irene Parrino 2006 (Albertson)
John Hirt 2005 (South Farmingdale)
Pasquale Eliseo 2004 (Locust Valley)
Kevin Langberg 2002–2003 (Plainview)
Jack Russo 2000-2002 (Roslyn)
Frank Flood 1999-2000 (Massapequa)
Samuel Panciroli 1998 (Plainview)
Robert Richmond 1997 (South Huntington)
David Brackett 1996 (Port Washington)
Gerard McCormack 1995 (South Farmingdale)
Donald Rosen 1994 (Plainview)
Larry DellaVecchia 1993 (Massapequa)
Gerard Donlon 1992 (Bethpage)
William Connery 1991 (South Huntington)
Harry T. Holmes 1990 (Greenlawn)
Arthur Thompson 1989 (Albertson)
Betty Forquer 1988 (Port Washington)
Donald Lammers 1987 (Greenlawn)
Nicholas Bartilucci 1986 (Jericho)
John Edwards 1985 (Plainview)
Brian Jennings 1984 (Manhasset/Lakeville)
John LaSalle 1983 (Garden City Park)
George Kopp 1982 (South Huntington)
Francis DuFrane 1981 (Greenlawn)